Jun 01, 2016
Investigations are underway after two people died and 57 more were transported to the hospital during Sunset Music Festival this past weekend. The Tampa, Fla. electronic music festival took place on Saturday and Sunday with headliners Hardwell, Jack U, The Chainsmokers, and Galantis.
According to Tampa police spokesman Steve Hegarty, a 22-year-old man was hospitalized Saturday and died Sunday and a 21-year-old woman was taken to a hospital Sunday and died Monday.
The Tampa Bay Times is reporting that while investigators are still awaiting the results of toxicology tests, Hegarty said that police think the deaths “are related to the Sunset Music Festival.”
FOX13 in Tampa spoke with the female victim's mother who said that, "she did not think her daughter was a heavy drug user, but hospital staff alluded to possible overdoses from the festival."
"We don't know [what happened]... They have an autopsy going on," Katie's mother said. "The hospital didn't know, they were bewildered with how to treat this."
Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn linked the deaths and rise in emergency medical situations to the electronic music culture in a press conference today.
“Obviously, that type of music tends to attract a certain type of fan that engages in certain types of drugs."
A local doctor told WFLA that mixing designer drugs like Molly, or MDMA, with hot temperatures can be a deadly combination.
“I think people need to realize when they buy something called Molly, it would be like walking into the store and buying soda and not knowing what was in the bottle,” Dr. Tamas Peredy of the Poison Control Center said.
Peredy told WFLA that both victims showed up to the hospital seizing and one of them had a “high, high temperature," both of which are side effects of Molly, according to Peredy.
Sunset organizers released the following statement to WFLA:
The health, safety and welfare of our fans and community is Sunset Music Festival’s first priority and we take every measure to create a safe environment at our events. Any loss of life is a tragedy and we extend our deepest heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of those affected. Due to the ongoing investigation by the medical examiner’s office, Sunset will not issue additional comments at this time.
The Tampa Sports Authority, which manages Raymond James Stadium where the festival was held, said:
We have received this information as you have through the Tampa Police Department’s release. We extend our condolences to these families for their loss. We will continue to work with the promoters of the Sunset Music Festival and local life safety agencies to provide the safest environment possible for their attendees.
Image: Sunset Music Festival 2015