Brandon Vedas

Brandon Carl Vedas (known as ripper on IRC) (April 21, 1981 - January 12, 2003 [1] (http://www.brandonvedas.com/)) who died during the night of a prescription drug overdose[?] while chatting in an IRC chatroom and broadcasting himself live via a webcam. Vedas had consumed Cannabis, Inderal[?], Klonopin[?], Methadone, Restoril[?], and 151-proof rum. Although some chat room users initally cheered him on, others feared for his life as his words become less coherent, and pleaded with him to stop. When Vedas lost conciousness, users of the chatroom considered informing the police and asking that they trace Vedas's cellphone, the number to which he had posted so that they could call him if something went wrong. One user began to call the police, but talked his way out of the phone call, after other users told him to hang up, fearing an investigation. According to Brandon's brother, who maintains BrandonVedas.com (http://www.BrandonVedas.com), the information Brandon gave to the users, as well as the address in his domain name registration would have been enough for the police to locate Brandon. He confirmed this with the local police. His mother discovered the body in the afternoon of January 12 [2] (http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0203fatalwebcast03-ON).

Quotes

Stated Vedas, shortly before he passed out:

• "I told u I was hardcore."

Stated Vedas' brother, regarding the chatroom:

• "It seems like the group mentality really contributed to it. These people treat it like somehow it's not the real world. They forget it's not just words on a screen."

External Links

• Memorial site maintained by his brother (http://www.brandonvedas.com) - includes transcript of the fateful chat (part 1 (http://www.brandonvedas.com/ripperlog.txt) , part 2 (http://www.brandonvedas.com/post-ripperlog.txt))
• NY Daily News - He takes fatal OD as Internet pals watch (http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/56667p-52905c)
• azcentral.com obituary (http://www.legacy.com/azcentral/LegacySubPage2.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonId=725033)