Two Men Dead After Attending Knockout Outdoor Festival In Sydney

Two men in their 20s have died after attending the Knockout Outdoor festival in Sydney over the weekend.

The daylong event was held at Giants Stadium last Saturday (September 30), and featured performances from the likes of SEFA, Dimitri K, Odium and Deadly Guns over three stages. It hosted some 53,000 punters with relatively minimal police intervention – according to NSW Police, 27 people at the festival were charged with possession of prohibited drugs, while four people (two men and two women) were charged with the supply of prohibited drugs.

As reported by the ABC, two men who attended the festival died in hospital after the event. The younger of them, aged 21, was treated by paramedics at a hotel on George Street in Chippendale; he died shortly after being transferred to hospital.

Paramedics also tended to a 26-year-old man at Sydney Olympic Park shortly before 1am, before he was transferred to Concord Hospital and died of a suspected drug overdose.

It’s been reported that nine other attendees were transferred to hospital from the festival grounds, although it’s not known why.

In a statement published by the ABC, detective superintendent Simon Glasser said NSW Police were awaiting autopsy reports on the two men before making conclusive assessments on the causes of their deaths. He did not confirm either death to be directly caused by drug use, but stated: “This shows that people can die at music festivals. Drugs can have some horrible consequences. When you mix that with the heat of yesterday, it's an added risk factor that can cause adverse affects.”

Glasser continued: “It’s horrible. These events are events to go and enjoy some music and have a lot of fun with mates, so it's tragic people have lost their lives.”

In a report from NSW Police, it’s said officers from South West Metropolitan Region – assisted by specialist commands including the Dog Unit, Traffic and Highway Patrol – conducted a high-visibility operation at the Knockout Outdoor festival. One 21-year-old man, who was stopped by officers working with the Bankstown Region Enforcement Squad (RES), was found to be in possession of 61 ecstasy tablets, 40 MDMA capsules and an unspecified amount of cocaine.

Another man, who attempted to evade police at the event, was found with 491 MDMA pills and four grams of cocaine. He was among the four charged with the supply of prohibited drugs and was additionally charged for recklessly dealing with the proceeds of crime.

Also held on Saturday was the Sydney edition of the Listen Out festival, which drew in some 27,500 attendees. NSW Police found 85 people in possession of prohibited drugs, and issued 37 field court attendance notices, 29 criminal infringement notices and 19 cannabis cautions. Eight people – five men and three women – were charged with the supply of prohibited drugs; two were also arrested for assaulting police, while one was arrested for wilful and obscene exposure, and another one was arrested for breaching the conditions of their bail.

The Music have reached out to the parent company of Knockout Outdoor (HSU Events) for comment.