Canada - Deaths at festival linked to party drugs, Toronto

http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/deaths-at-veld-festival-linked-to-party-drugs-1.1946418

"A 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman died at VELD Music Festival in Downsview Park, in the north end of Toronto early Monday morning"

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2014/08/04/veld-festival-death-homicide_n_5649675.html


"Deputy chief Mark Saunders says all 15 people ingested what police believe was a party drug purchased at the festival.

Anyone who may have bought the drug is being warned not to consume it and to turn it over so police can analyze the substance"
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Meanwhile in Vancouver, one young woman died, 80 concert-goers sickened...

"Tolocka’s death is just one of four deaths in Canadian music festivals in the past three weeks. Nick Phongsavath died at the Pemberton Music Festival, though authorities have not released the cause of death.

And two more people died at Veld Music Festival near Toronto. Police are investigating those deaths.

Organizers at this weekend’s Squamish Music Festival say they are prepared with a detailed security plan and free water at eight stations. They will have misting stations and bottled water at medical tents as well.

As festival season continues, Provincial Health Officer Dr. perry Kendall advises all partygoers to ensure they stay hydrated and be aware of the signs of heat stroke and—if they insist on taking drugs—to obtain them from a trusted, proven source.

“Drink plenty of fluids and be really aware of the symptoms of palpitations, headaches, fever, muscle aches and pains. And if you feel really ill, seek medical attention quickly,” he advised"

bbm
Read more: http://bc.ctvnews.ca/boonstock-festivalgoer-died-on-birthday-trip-1.1946025#ixzz39X0JieJN

Update is forthcoming..
bbm

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toron...toronto-police-to-give-update-today-1.2727870
"Police said two people died and 13 others fell ill after ingesting unidentified "party drugs" that they purchased over the weekend at the two-day event.

The homicide squad is leading the investigation.

Those who attended the weekend festival are being warned by police not to ingest any drugs purchased at the event.

"People are dying because they are ingesting this drug," Deputy Chief Mark Saunders told reporters on Monday.

The update on the investigation is likely to come this afternoon".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svvIMJJ73V4

"Scheduled for Aug 5, 2014

@TorontoPolice News Conference re: Investigation into Deaths and Injuries from Substances Believed to Have Been Ingested at VELD Music Festival

At 3:30pm in the Media Gallery at Toronto Police Headquarters, Detective Sergeant Peter Trimble of the Toronto Police Homicide Squad will update the media and the public in regards to injuries and deaths from substances believe to have been ingested at the VELD Music Festival, held this weekend at Downsview Park, Toronto.

The news conference will be broadcast on the Bell TOC and live streamed in HD at http://www.youtube.com/torontopolice"

Dealers "step on" their drugs, whether it be pills or powders or whatever - "step on" is to mix it with another substance, not a drug, a cheaper alternative - a common one is rat poison and baby powder...but it sounds like whomever cut these drugs, used something horrible, or used too much of it...because bad X can really, really mess you up. I've seen it happen.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news...rt-goer-handcuffed-by-police/article19906816/


"Deputy chief Saunders appealed for anyone who purchased the drug at the music festival at Downsview Park to come forward so police can run tests to determine what the substance is and who is selling it.

“If you have one and you turn it into us, there won’t be any criminal jeopardy,” he said. “If you’ve got a bunch of drugs and you want to turn it in, I would ask you to contact a lawyer and then make arrangements to turn these drugs in.”

It’s unclear whether the seller intentionally sold poisonous drugs and whether they were contaminated, he said. Symptoms of taking the drugs included hysteria, euphoria and passing out.

The youngest of the 15 people who fell ill as a result of taking the drugs was 16, deputy chief Saunders said. The average age of the patients was 19. Most of the distress calls came in late Saturday leading into early Sunday, he said."

bbm

Media live update now..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svvIMJJ73V4

http://www.citynews.ca/2014/08/04/police-identify-2-pills-possibly-linked-to-veld-festival-deaths/
bbm

"Toronto police have identified two pills they believe could be linked to the deaths of two young people who fell ill at the VELD Music Festival at Downsview Park on the weekend.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Det. Sgt Peter Trimble said an autopsy was conducted on the two victims and that a cause of death is pending toxicology results.

Trimble described one pill as a small brown one and the other a small clear capsule containing a white substance.

Police are asking anyone who may have purchased a “party drug” at the festival not to consume it and to turn the drugs over to police so it can be analyzed."

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"Unfortunately some of these people didn’t even know what they were taking,” Det. Sgt. Peter Trimble told reporters Tuesday afternoon. “We had some people taking upwards of 10 pills and some people picking up pills from the ground.”


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" Police have set up a website where videos and photos taken at the festival can be uploaded.

&#8220;A criminal act has taken place which is the reason why the homicide squad is investigating this,&#8221; Trimble said. &#8220;I am not ready to put a label on the classification of the death yet; other than that an unlawful act has occurred and I am going to investigate this like I would any other homicide.&#8221;

Read more: http://www.cp24.com/news/police-rel...music-festival-deaths-1.1946533#ixzz39Zu9ck00