INGLEWOOD, Calif. – A man believed to be in his early 20s drowned in the lake adjacent to SoFi Stadium on Friday night, marking the second such incident since the stadium’s inauguration in 2020, local police reported.
Around 9:30 p.m., the young man entered the lake but did not return to the surface, Inglewood Police Lt. Cilia Islas announced. A dive team promptly scoured the 15-foot-deep waters in search of the man.
Rescuers located the man’s body shortly before 11 p.m., redoubling their efforts to revive him through CPR. However, their attempts proved futile, and he was declared dead at the location. Describing the tragedy as a case of accidental drowning, Lt. Islas confirmed the initiation of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the man’s death.
Authorities are presently holding back the victim’s identification in consideration of his family’s privacy.
In a public statement, SoFi Stadium officials expressed their grief over the young man’s unfortunate demise, extending their heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. The stadium was hosting a concert by electronic musician, Illenium, around the same time, which concluded at approximately 11 p.m.
This incident represents the second instance of a fatal drowning in the lake surrounding SoFi Stadium, home to NFL’s Los Angeles Rams and Chargers, since its opening in September 2020. The first instance occurred in July 2022, when a 45-year-old man was seen on surveillance footage, jumping into the artificial lake.
Security personnel at the stadium had spotted the man scaling a fence in the parking lot before entering the lake. His body was later retrieved by divers from the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Special Enforcement Bureau, after a three-hour search.
The lake, locally known as “River Lake,” is a crafted 6-acre water body with a capacity of nearly 11 million gallons,. Designed as a visually pleasing addition to the stadium’s grounds, River Lake also boasts multiple waterfalls.