Electric Zoo Deaths Blamed On Molly, Victims Were 24 And 20

Two Electric Zoo deaths led to an abrupt cancellation of the music festival in NYC this week, and it has been speculated that MDMA — also known as ecstasy or Molly — was the possible cause of the deaths.

The Electric Zoo deaths are still under investigation, but initial reports suggest that one of a few scenarios led to the fatalities involving two attendees in the festival’s first two days this year.

One is that the Electric Zoo deaths may have resulted from an unusually potent batch of drugs that may have been circulating at the festival, another is that revelers may have, in an intoxicated state, become dangerously dehydrated or over-hydrated in the hot, humid weather.

In a joint statement from the event’s organizers and the office of the Mayor, the Electric Zoo cancellation was announced:

“The City recommended cancellation and the event promoters have agreed. The Electric Zoo organizers have worked with City officials to reduce health risks at this event, but in view of these occurrences, the safest course is to cancel the remaining day of the event.”

In a separate statement, the Electric Zoo’s organizers said after the decision was made public:

“The founders of Electric Zoo send our deepest condolences to the families of the two people who passed away this weekend,” the statement said. “Because there is nothing more important to us than our patrons, we have decided in consultation with the New York City Parks Department that there will be no show today.”

The Electric Zoo deaths involved two young people attending the festival — Jeffrey Russ, 24, of Rochester, and 20-year-old Olivia Rotondo of Providence, Rhode Island. No official cause of death has been made public for either victim.