Youth Says Guards Partly at Fault in Fatal Fall at Rock Concert

A Fountain Valley youth said Tuesday that security guards at a Long Beach concert last weekend were partially responsible for the death of a man who fell off a balcony. He also said that the victim did not appear to be overdosed on drugs.

Greg Narsesian, 15, said in a telephone interview that he and a friend were standing on the first balcony in front of the stage at the Long Beach Convention Center/Arena where John Loftus, 22, of Fullerton fell and died.

In the aftermath of the Saturday concert, in which three other people were injured in falls, an Orange County group has called for a halt to heavy metal concerts in the area. Heavy metal rocker Ozzy Osbourne was the main attraction at the Long Beach concert, but he had yet to take the stage when Loftus apparently fell off the front-row balcony.

Toxicological Tests Pending

Narsesian said he did not believe Loftus was on drugs when he fell.

Coroner’s officials said Loftus died of a broken neck. The results of toxicological tests are still pending, they said.

“The guy is standing right next to me and he wants to get down to the stage. We grab him and pull him back up,” Narsesian said. “A couple of minutes later, he was hanging off again.

“We tried to get to him, but a guard (on the ground floor) is pulling on his foot while he was holding on to the railing. His hand then slipped and he fell,” he added.

Narsesian said that when Loftus fell the 12 feet to the floor, the guard holding his foot and four other guards got out of the way “and did not try to break his fall.”

“They did nothing. They then picked him up and dragged him away. We never saw him again,” the teen-ager said.

Narsesian said that he wanted to complain to police officials but that they “were dragging so many people away and I didn’t think they would listen to me. But the guards were obviously at fault.”

Investigation Continuing

Calls to convention management personnel were not returned late Tuesday.

Barbara Narsesian said Tuesday that her son and his friends have been upset since the Saturday night incident.

“He’s feeling like he’s responsible for not picking up that kid again. He feels the guards were negligent,” the mother said. “These kids saw something they felt was wrong.”

A Long Beach police spokesman said late Tuesday that the investigation is continuing. He had no comment on Narsesian’s version of Loftus’ death.

Meanwhile, the Orange County group Back in Control has called for a ban of heavy metal rock concerts, which the group believes incite youngsters to destruction and violence.

Greg Narsesian said a warm-up group, Metallica, was playing when Loftus fell.

“(Osbourne) was not even on stage, so how could he be held responsible?” said Narsesian, who added that the incident probably would keep him away from concerts.

Two other Orange County residents who fell from balconies during the Saturday concert remained hospitalized at St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach.

Eric Hobbs, 17, of Newport Beach remained in a coma from a skull fracture and in serious condition, a medical center spokesman said late Tuesday. Tom Dearinger, 23, of Buena Park was in improved condition with a skull fracture.

Timothy Mestas, 17, of Los Angeles, who slipped from a balcony, was released from the hospital on Monday after treatment for cuts and bruises.