It has come to our attention that 20 year old Shane Zimmardi passed away last week after attending of LIC SeaTac 2015. Per statements made by the deceased’s father, the deceased man accidentally took amphetamines which he believed were molly at the event. Out of respect for the deceased we will not be publishing his picture or his obituary.

This is not the first time that this has happened in the PNW. Paradiso 2013 was marred by deaths that were attributed to accidental amphetamine consumption.

Let this be a lesson: IF YOU’RE GOING TO CONSUME DRUGS, TEST THEM! A comprehensive test kit is available online from DanceSafe for 65$ which will test multiple doses of drugs for amphetamines and the deadly PMA/PMMA (which has recently been claiming lives in the UK, and claimed multiple lives in British Columbia in the early 2000s). A simple test kit, which tests for amphetamines but not PMA/PMMA is available for only 20$. Alternatively, you can contact the local Seattle chapter of Dance Safe – StaySafeSeattle and they will test your drugs for you.

KOMO news released the following article regarding the death: “20-year-old man overdoses and dies at Tacoma rave

A drug often used in clubs has claimed the life of another young adult, and this time it happened at a rave inside the Tacoma Dome. Now the victim’s family and friends are warning others about the dangers of the drug. Thomas Zimmardi spent the final moments of his son’s life at the 20-year-old’s bedside. “To see his life taken, it’s pretty sad,” Zimmardi said. “It was horrible. It still is.”

Zimmardi’s son, Shane, died after taking drugs at the Life In Color rave in Tacoma. “Someone found him at the Tacoma Dome underneath the bleachers and they took him to the hospital,” Zimmardi said. Shane somehow got separated from his friends after using a drug called Molly. It’s unknown if he got a pill with a different concentration than his friends or if he ingested more drugs later. Dr. Alexander Garrard said drugs like Molly contain a variety of chemicals and there’s no quality control, so you never really know what you’re taking. “When you use these substances it’s chemical Russian roulette,” he said.

Shane’s friends are now advising people to use testing kits to see what they’re getting, but Dr. Garrard says the kits aren’t reliable. “While I think testing is good, we have to remember there are significant limitations to that,” he said. “It can inform you a little bit, but it’s not going to give you the full picture and it’s not going to be able to tell you exactly what’s in it.” Garrard said people need to educate themselves about the drugs, and he said the best thing to do is not use the drugs at all. “I think that if he would have known what he was getting himself into this would have never happened. Would have never happened. He took a risk and that’s his responsibility. He took that drug,” said Ashton Soete, Shane’s friend.

The Tacoma Fire Department transported nine people from the Life In Color event, but they can’t say why due to privacy laws. The event’s organizers didn’t respond to requests for comment on the story.

We would like to respectfully disagree with the doctor quoted in the KOMO article who suggested that test kits are “unreliable”. While they may not be as accurate as a lab test, a simple test kit WILL TEST FOR THE PRESENCE OF METH AND PMA/PMMA, and can possibly save your life. When it comes to your life, isn’t it better to be safe than sorry?

We would also like to remind you that Washington State has enacted “Good Samaritan Laws” regarding rescuer assistance during overdoses. The law protects those giving aid in an emergency to an injured person in a voluntary capacity, without expectation of monetary compensation, will be protected from liability as long as the rescuer is not willfully negligent or reckless in giving aid, and gives aid in a reasonable manner. If these criteria are met, then the rescuer will not be held legally liable for the outcome.

Dance Music NW released the following indirect statement from USC Events about the death and future measures which are going to be put in place at Paradiso:

Following Life in Color though, more steps will be taken by USC to ensure the safety of their attendees. While plans are still in motion for sweeping harm reduction measures, the following policies have already been agreed upon:
-A doubling of the Conscious Crew Staff moving forward in 2015 (including Paradiso this June)
-The addition of several new water stations throughout their festivals
-Extra paramedic staff on-site at all times

 


 
LIC snip