Colin Kroll, HQ Trivia app co-founder, found dead in Manhattan apartment

The co-founder of HQ Trivia and the video app Vine was found dead in his Manhattan apartment early Sunday morning, according to police.

NYPD officers discovered Colin Kroll, 34, unresponsive in the bedroom of his SoHo home after responding to a 911 call placed by his concerned girlfriend at 12:18 a.m., according to the NYPD. EMS pronounced Kroll dead at the scene.

A police investigation is ongoing and officials are awaiting a report from the medical examiner’s office to determine the cause of death. Kroll appeared to have died of a drug overdose, as he was found with what investigators believe to be drug paraphernalia around him, according to a police source.

Kroll served as CEO of HQ Trivia, the popular livestreaming trivia app that he launched with Rus Yusupov in 2017. The game drew a large following by doling out cash to its winners.

Kroll had also collaborated with Yusupov and Dom Hofmann to launch Vine, the now defunct video app that played six-second clips on loop. Vine was acquired by Twitter in 2012 but was shut down by the social media company four years later.

“We learned today of the passing of our friend and founder, Colin Kroll, and it’s with deep sadness that we say goodbye. Our thoughts go out to his family, friends and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time,” HQ Trivia said in a statement.

With Reuters