ME Report: UCSD Student Died of Drug Overdose After Sun God Festival
Ricardo Ambriz, 20, attended the 2014 Sun God Festival on campus and died of a drug overdose hours later, according to officials
By Monica Garske ••
A University of California San Diego student found dead in his room just hours after the school’s annual Sun God Festival died of an accidental drug overdose, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office confirmed.
A report obtained by NBC 7 said third-year student Ricardo “Ricky” Ambriz, 20, died of an overdose of 5-APB, a recreational drug commonly referred to as “benzofury.”
Ambriz, who lived in the Village East Tower on campus, was found unresponsive in his room at approximately 1:30 a.m. on May 17 – an hour and a half after the university’s annual outdoor music festival, Sun God, ended at midnight.
Ambriz attended Sun God and reportedly drank alcohol at the festival throughout the day and evening, according to details from the ME report.
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UCSD's annual Sun God music festival took over the campus on May 16.
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The event is generally regarded as a time for UC San Diego students to let loose before they break for summer.
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Diplo (pictured) was one of the many acts on a star-studded lineup for 2014, including Juicy J, Young the Giant, Joey Badass, Anna Lunoe, New Politics, Miner and more.
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Diplo is short for Diplodocus -- derived from the DJ's childhood fascination with dinosaurs.
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He is one of the leading, and most sought-after, DJs and music producers in today's music industry.
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Diplo worked extensively with controversial rapper M.I.A., which helped expose him to a broader audience.
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Another headliner, Juicy J, is a founding member of the Southern hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia.
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The rapper was featured in Katy Perry's hit single, "Dark Horse" in 2013.
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Young the Giant is an indie rock band from Irvine, Calif.
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Formerly known as the Jakes, Young the Giant released its self-titled debut album in 2010.
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The band's first three singles, "My Body," "Cough Syrup" and "Apartment" all reached the top five of the U.S. Alternative Songs chart.
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During season three of the television show "Glee," the band's single "Cough Syrup" was covered in the episode titled "On My Way."
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Anna Lunoe (pictured) delivered a raucous DJ set.
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At the age of five, Lunoe began making mixtapes for her friends by recording songs off the radio on her tape deck.
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The dreamy video for her single "I Met You," has garnered over one million YouTube views.
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Joey Badass is a Brooklyn-based rapper, and co-founder of the hip-hop collective Pro Era.
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His 2012 mixtape was named the 38th best album of that year by "Complex Magazine."
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Torro Torro is a Toronto-based production duo.
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New Politics is an alt-rock band from Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Their 2013 album, "A Bad Girl in Harlem," spawned the hit singles "Yeah Yeah Yeah" and "Harlem."
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Their single "Harlem" was featured in the 2013 video game "NHL 14," and the trailer for the Disney movie "Frozen."
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Giraffrage is a San Francisco-based DJ.
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Jhameel is an indie pop band from Oakland, Calif.
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Also on the Sun God lineup was Ty Dolla Sign, who is currently signed to Wiz Khalifa's Taylor Gang Records.
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He has appeared on tracks by YG, Bone Thugs N-Harmony, Game, E-40 and Kid Ink.
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The Colourist hail from Orange County, Calif. and formed in 2009.
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The band recently performed on CBS' "The Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson."
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Miner are a Los Angeles-based folk-rock band.
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The band originally started as a Kickstarter-funded, bedroom-studio project, which transformed into a touring band at the beginning of 2013.
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Eyewitness accounts said Ambriz had also admitted to taking a drug at some point during the day at the event, the report said.
“After leaving the festival at midnight, his friend noticed him to ‘freeze’ at times during their walk back to their apartment. The friend also stated he was ‘starting to reach out into the air grabbing at stuff,’” the report said.
The friend said Ambriz “had clenched teeth” and was having difficulty breathing.
After leaving Sun God, the student returned to his dorm room with his girlfriend. While in his room, he took an unknown pill, according to the report.
A short time later, Ambriz became unresponsive. He began talking “gibberish,” according to the report, and then collapsed.
Friends called 911 and emergency medical crews arrived at Ambriz’s dorm and began efforts to save his life.
He was transported to Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla, where he died around 2:30 a.m.
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Sun God, UCSD's annual music extravaganza, took place on May 17, 2013.
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Lamar's latest record, Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, was one of the most critically acclaimed hip-hop albums of last year.
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On "Good Kid, M.A.A.D City, Lamar collaborated with West Coast rap legend Dr. Dre.
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Lamar is one of the main forces behind the L.A. hip-hop revival.
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Lamar released his first rap mix tape when he was just 16 years old.
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A shot of the Midway Tent, where the magic -- and comedy, and circus acts -- happen.
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Portugal. The Man was among the headlining acts at the main stage at the festival.
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Portugal. The Man began making music together in Alaska while still in high school.
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Their seventh studio album, Evil Friends, was co-produced by Danger Mouse.
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Swedish DJ Adrian Lux took to the dance stage after the sun went down.
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Andrew McMahon of Something Corporate and Jack's Mannequin played an early evening set.
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McMahon was involved with the soundtrack for NBC's Smash.
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McMahon suffers from leukemia. His illness and treatment were covered in the 2009 Warner Bros documentary Dear Jack.
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Detroit native Danny Brown filled out the hip-hop contingent of the festival.
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Brown's 2011 album, XXX, was selected as Spin magazine's No. 1 hip-hop album of the year.
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Youngblood Hawke's daytime set warmed up the crowd.
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The Los Angeles inhabitants describe their music as "maximalist pop."
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UCSD Battle of the Bands winner Soda Pants got the chance to be the opening act at the festival.
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The ME’s office said toxicological testing detected the 5-APB or “benzofury” drug and a low concentration of alcohol in the student’s system at the time of his death.
The autopsy report said the effects of “benzofury” are described as “euphoria, empathy and color enhancement.” Side effects include nausea, vomiting, jaw-clenching and sleep.
The report concludes that the reported symptoms the student was experiencing during the day at the festival and before his death are consistent with the effects of the drug. His death was attributed to an accidental overdose.
Ambriz was an active student in the UC San Diego community.
Right after his death, the UC San Diego News Center said Ambriz was a third-year Revelle College student majoring in computer science. He was also a member of the Phi Iota Alpha Fraternity and the MEChA organization.
The university said Ambriz was involved with OASIS and graduated from UC San Diego’s Summer Bridge program. He also worked in the Climate, Atmospheric Science and Physical Oceanography business office at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
UC San Diego’s Sun God Festival happens every year at Rimac Field and is a highly-anticipated event among students. The event features several stages and live music by well-known artists. In years past, performers have included Drake, Thrice and Kendrick Lamar.
The event is regarded as a time for UC San Diego students to let loose before their Spring Quarter final exams and before they break for summer.
