Colin Kroll, the CEO and co-founder of the popular HQ Trivia app, has died, the company said Sunday. He was 34.
“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,” a HQ spokesperson said in a statement.
The New York City Police Department said officers responded to a 911 call for a wellness check early Sunday morning at Kroll’s residence in lower Manhattan. Officers discovered a male subject unconscious and unresponsive in a bedroom, and he was declared dead at the scene. The investigation is ongoing and the medical examiner will determine the cause of death, police said.
Kroll helped co-found the interactive quiz game, which became a viral sensation after launching in 2017. He was named the company’s CEO in September, taking over for Rus Yusupov, who went on to serve as chief creative officer. Yusupov remembered Kroll on Twitter, saying he “made the world and internet a better place.”
Kroll also helped found Vine, the short form video platform. Twitter bought the service in 2012 for $30 million before shutting it down in 2018.
Police initially said Kroll was 35, but the company confirmed he was 34 years old.
