Medical examiner rules 2 dead at Electric Zoo, an electronic music festival in NYC, overdosed

NEW YORK, N.Y. – The New York City medical examiner’s office has ruled that two concert-goers who died at an electronic music festival overdosed from MDMA or ecstasy.

The medical examiner’s office ruled Thursday that 20-year-old Olivia Rotondo and 23-year-old Jeffrey Russ died from an overdose combined with hyperthermia on Aug. 31. Their deaths prompted city officials to shut down the final day of the three-day Electric Zoo music festival held on Randall’s Island.

Police said several others became ill and were hospitalized as a result of apparent drug use.

The festival draws sizable crowds to hear artists performing on multiple stages. Event founders offered refunds for the final day and gave condolences to the families of the dead.

Russ was from Rochester, N.Y., and Rotondo was from Providence, R.I.

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