In the wake of the recent shooting at the Gorge Amphitheater some two hours outside Seattle, Washington, the victims of the massacre at the Beyond Wonderland have now been identified, The Seattle Times reports.
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The two who were killed at the shooting over the weekend (June 17) were Seattle residents, 29-year-old Brandy Escamilla and 26-year-old Josilyn Ruiz. The couple was engaged to be married, according to a GoFundMe page organized by Ruiz’s family for funeral costs.
The electronic dance music festival saw tragedy around 8:30 p.m. Saturday night (June 17). That’s when a man began “randomly shooting into the crowd,” the Times reported, near the concert stage. The Grant County Sheriff’s Office said that there were two deaths and three others were wounded, including the shooter.
After the shootings, the Beyond Wonderland festival organizers halted the rest of the weekend’s plans.
Leilani Ruiz, who is Josilyn’s sister-in-law, said she was a “ray of sunshine,” adding on the GoFundMe page, “Josilyn came into this world on July 13, 1996, hence why she received her middle name Summer, our ray of sunshine. As soon as you saw her she would brighten up the room with her big beautiful eyes, beautiful smile, and contagious laugh.”
Ruiz was a registered nurse who had an “immense passion” for helping others, wrote Leilani, adding, “There are not enough words to describe the wonderful person she is and the wonderful life she lived.”
Earlier this week, organizers of the Electric Forest festival shared a statement regarding the safety of the event.
First offering condolences to those impacted by the tragic event, in which two people lost their lives, Electric Forest officials wrote in a post on social media about the festival’s safe environment. “We want to reassure you that HQ works year-round with large-scale event security professionals, Michigan State Police, and local law enforcement, to provide a safe environment for our patrons, staff, and artists. This presence will be visible to all attendees throughout the festival site and campgrounds.”
In their statement, organizers have assured increased security, as well as a specialized Festival K9 Unit present on site. “These highly trained dogs and their skilled handlers have undergone rigorous training in firearm detection amidst a large crowd and in challenging environmental conditions,” the statement continued.
“Everyone on site plays an important role in our safety,” festival officials added, noting the importance of the mantra “see something, say something.” “Please contact a member of the security team or festival staff member (who can be found at your nearest Neighborhood Pod or Info Booth and throughout the entire site) immediately in the event of suspicious activity, behavior, or any action by an individual that raises concern,” the statement continued.
The Michigan-based multi-day music festival is set to take place beginning Thursday (June 22) and will continue through Sunday (June 25). Check out the full statement below.
