Sheila E. expressed strong criticism towards festival organizers after a tragic incident where a woman’s body remained in the crowd following her death at a concert. The musician was deeply saddened by the loss of Shari Sanders, who died at the Carson Jazz Festival during extreme heat in Southern California.

On social media, Sheila addressed her followers about the incident, which occurred “during or before” her performance. She emphasized that such an event had never happened during her career and described the situation as “devastating.” Temperatures that day exceeded 100 degrees.

Sheila noted that festival attendees were in line early due to the intense heat. Despite an early opening, the situation rapidly deteriorated as emergency crews had to navigate the crowd extensively. The musician and her band observed these efforts from their dressing room, noticing delays in the production schedule.

According to reports, Shari Sanders was saving seats for her family when she was seen slumped over. A bystander’s inquiry led to paramedics arriving about 20 minutes later. The heat and a lack of hydration stations at the venue pointed to serious organizational failures.

“Carson City, you need to do better,” Sheila E. stated, emphasizing the need for event organizers to improve safety measures after 40 years of running festivals.

Sheila, known for her exceptional percussion skills and collaborations with Prince, dedicated her performance in Sanders’ honor. After the concert, she learned Sanders’ body had not been moved until well after her performance concluded, which left her “sick to [her] stomach.”

In response, the Mayor’s office released a statement offering condolences and confirmed reaching out to the bereaved family. The city of Carson is urged to improve safety protocols in events to prevent such tragedies in the future.