Concert Death Tied to Drugs, Police Say
Drugs apparently played a role in the death of a man prior to a concert by heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne, Long Beach police said Monday.
John Loftus, 22, of Fullerton died of a broken neck, after an apparent fall Saturday night during a performance by the band Metallica at the Long Beach Convention Center/Arena.
“He was in the bleachers overdosing, he stepped back and hit his head,” Police Lt. Bart Day said.
Toxicological tests were planned, the coroner’s office said. Several others were injured at three weekend Osbourne concerts.
“Ozzy is concerned that he gets blamed for things he did not cause, wasn’t involved in and had no control over,” the singer’s attorney, Howard Weitzman, said. “. . . Whatever took place took place before his performance. What bothers him is he does not encourage or like the idea that people would come to his concerts under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
Elektra Records, Metallica’s label, declined comment.
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