Two Dead After Thursday's Identity Festival at Mansfield's Comcast Center

Mansfield Police have confirmed two men died on Thursday while at the Identity Festival at the Comcast Center.

The two, 19-year-old Connor Brandon of Acton and 27-year-old Dominic Impelizzieri of 266 Roxford Road North, Syracuse, N.Y., reportedly died after taking drugs at the concert.

Police said in a statement that Brandon was reported dead on Friday morning at the Boston Medical Center from the effects of several illegal drugs and alcohol found in his system.

Impelizzieri also had several illegal drugs and alcohol in his system. He had been resuscitated by emergency medical personnel at the concert, but later succumbed in the morning at Rhode Island Hospital.

Mansfield Police said they will continue to actively investigate the issue.

Mansfield Police Chief Arthur O'Neill said that there were many different types of drugs at the concert, including Ecstasy, LSD, PCP and marijuana. He added that at this particular show, there were parties distributing illegal drugs.

"It's not a new situation (at the Comcast Center) it's not a new situation anywhere," he said. "It's a situation anywhere you get a collection of human beings of a particular age group, particular event with this type of music, you other groups with alcohol, other groups there have other interests; it's not a reflection on that entity, but it is a reflection on that particular tour because it attracts that particular mindset."

O'Neill said that aside from a cardiac arrest at the Comcast Center several years ago (not because of alcohol or drugs), this is the first time anyone has died because of events at the venue.

"It breaks your heart to see people doing these things to themselves," he said. "It's a sad state of affairs when you have that many people out there who want to endanger their lives... and we do the best we can to put them down, but you could be standing right next to a police officer and just take something small and almost unidentifiable."

Mansfield Detective Sgt. Ronald Sellon said there were substances being consumed and distributed at the show while he was on detail on Thursday.

“Unfortunately, when you get a crowd this size with these interests, you’re going to run into these types of problems,” he said. “There’s such a level of experimentation that doesn’t really exist in a lot of other crowds. The fact is they’re willing to almost cook some stuff up in their home, bring it in and basically test it out on people to see how it works out, and people are actually willing to participate in that. It’s unsettling.”

There were 45 people arrested on various charges, including 10 for drug possession, and 25 people for being under 21 in possession alcohol beverages. Three others were arrested for disorderly conduct, another for domestic assault and battery and five for possession of a forged registry document. 

Alex Marotte, 21, of Springfield was arrested and charged with possession of a class B substance (Ecstasy) with intent to distribute. 

There were 19 people transported to area hospitals for drug issues at the concert. One other person was transported later when he was found to be under the influence of drugs lying in the street during outbound traffic and one other was transported in the morning after "stumbling" out of the woods.

"The Mansfield Police Department and the security and management of the Comcast Center have worked very closely together since day one when they opened the place," O'Neill said. "We've always fought a constant battle against drug use and the illegal use and overuse of alcohol."

There were 45 arrests at the concert, which is not unusual for the Comcast Center. The recent Jason Aldeen concert also had 45 arrests, mainly for underage drinking, public intoxication and disorderly conduct.

On the list for performing at the Identity Festival at Comcast were: Eric Prydz, Wolfgang Gartner, Excision, Medeon, Showtek, Noisa, Arty, Le Castle Vania, Eva Simons, The Eye, Jdevil, Audrey Napoleon, Dvbbs and Stephan Jacobs. The next tour stop is tonight in Bristow, Va.

The next concert at the Comcast Center is Wednesday, Aug. 1, featuring WizKhalifa and Mac Miller.

The festival was under scrutiny last year when several noise complaints (because of the many stages of the festival and directions of the many speakers) were lodged.

Several residents stated they did not want to have the festival back in 2012. Comcast Center Manager Bruce Montgomery specifically asked Mansfield selectmen before even getting the yearly entertainment license to have the Identity Tour back in 2012.

The tour was allowed back by selectmen in a 4-1 vote in November 2011. 

(Check back with Mansfield Patch for updates on this story.)