An illegal rave in east Croydon ended in tragedy this weekend when a teenager was taken ill and died two days later. The rave was being held on 14 June in a disused Royal Mail sorting office on Cherry Orchard Road and attracted around a thousand revellers, some of whom threw missiles at police, causing criminal damage in the process.

The boy was taken to hospital in the early hours of Sunday morning and passed away the following day. According to the Croydon Advertiser, police believe that he drank ketamine-laced beer. 

Rio Andrew, 15, was a student at Holland Park School in Kensington. Another 19-year-old is in serious but stable condition after drinking from the same bottle, and police confirmed that seven other people were taken to hospital with injuries incurred at the rave.

On Saturday night, police officers on routine patrol in East Croydon noticed large numbers of people gathering inside and outside the building at around 9.30pm. Additional support was called to prevent dangerously large numbers of people gaining access to the sorting office, but it wasn't until 8.30am on Sunday morning that officers managed to enter the building and shut the rave down. As the police attempted to prevent people from entering the venue over the course of the night, they were reportedly bombarded with missiles, including furniture and fire extinguishers.

14 people have been arrested in connection with the event on various charges including money laundering, drug offences and violent disorder. Speaking to Dazed, the Met Police refused to comment on allegations that they knew about the rave a week before it happened.

Were you there? Please get in touch if so.