Tracker Pixel for Entry

Three heroin overdose deaths in seven days

News | March 17th, 2016

Three heroin overdose deaths in seven days

By John Strand & Tom Bixby

Law enforcement officials representing several agencies warned the public Sunday about an extraordinarily dangerous situation involving tainted or laced heroin in the FM area.

“The purpose of this press conference is to provide a public safety message in relation to several narcotic or opioid overdoses that have occurred in the FM area in the last several days,” Fargo Police Chief David Todd stated at the outset. “At least four of these incidences are believed to be linked to opiate overdoses and those four instances have resulted in the deaths of three people in Fargo. However this is not just a local problem here. We've also had numerous recent reports of opioid related overdoses regionally.”

The Opiate EpidemicOpioids are a class of drugs that include heroin, opium and prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, Fentanyl and others, he explained.

Three individuals lost their lives due to suspected overdoses, including John Weed, 37, and Tyson Chaney, 24, on March 6, and Lucas Anderson, 26, on March 12.

Subsequently, three males were arrested in a vehicle outside a hotel and another female was arrested inside, the chief reported. About half an ounce of suspected of heroin was located in the hotel room along with a small amount of marijuana. One small child was placed into protective custody that was found in that hotel room at the time of the search warrant.

“It's possible that we have heroin out there laced with something such as Fentanyl or morphine or some other opiate making it even more dangerous than it already is. Fentanyl can be 40 to 50 times more potent than heroin and in some cases can be absorbed through the skin and can be deadly,” Chief Todd said. “So I'm telling the public if you see what you suspect is heroin or an opiate derivative, do not touch it. Call us to handle it.

The police chief asked that members of our community who aware of family or friends who use illegal drugs such as opiates to closely monitor them for breathing difficulties, incoherence, unconsciousness, all indicators for the need of emergency medical treatment.

Moorhead Police Chief David Ebinger cited two overdoses, both what he called “narcan saves,” referring to a nasal spray antidote that can reverse potentially deadly effects of heroin or opioids.

“One of the things I would love to reiterate here and really get across to the public is we don't have a lot of credibility with people who have an addiction. They don't want to listen to the police and they don't talk to police,” Chief Ebinger said.

“The families and friends of these individuals really need to be aware… Talk to them to get out of drug use and to deal with (their) addiction. Now is a good time to do it. If not, please monitor them and get them the help they need if they see an indication of an overdose,” Chief Ebinger said. “This is a great concern. Drug abuse is serious enough but when we start losing lives it's a public health concern.”

West Fargo Police Chief Mike Reitan reported one death in a motel in 2015, 11 non-fatal heroin overdoses treated in a local emergency room since October, and five occasions officers responded to heroin related overdoses where those individuals were saved with the administration of narcan (naloxone). “There are a number overdoses that we are unaware of because they are either family or friends or they respond local emergency rooms and are treated there,” Chief Reitan said.

Chief Todd expressed grave concern about heroin possibly laced with fentanyl. “Iit can be extremely dangerous. We don't want to have any more deaths out there,” he said. “There's no such thing as good heroin. It's all bad. There's no such thing as a good batch. It's all bad stuff. Heroin can be extremely deadly. But if it has something in it like fentanyl or morphine or some other opiate derivative to make it even stronger, it can be extremely deadly.”

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.com Ten North Dakota communities will participate in the nationwide No Kings Day of Peaceful Action on October 18. The grassroots movement is a nonviolent protest against President Trump’s…

By Kooper Shagenakoopershagena@gmail.com One night, Jane Linde Capistran, associate conductor of the Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Orchestra, sat and drank wine with her friends: “Jennifer Tackling, the associate concertmaster, and…

Friday, October 31, 5-9 p.m.Ziti’s Italian American Restaurant, 3150 Sheyenne St., Suite 170, West FargoSavor a delectable five course meal with beverage pairings. (Nonalcoholic beverages are available upon request, but must be…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com At the end of September, downtown Fargo said goodbye to another old friend; the Spirit Room closed its doors, marking the end of an era. The Spirit Room room has been a fixture downtown for the…

By Ed Raymondfargogadfly@gmail.comWill we be banging or whimpering at the end of the American empire?T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Hollow Men” accurately portrays the end of most empires in his first lines: “We are the hollow men/…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Nichole Hensenrickgion@gmail.com The wait is finally over. Those who have visited Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Cafe lately know about the recent major additions and renovations that have taken place over the past…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com Dakotah Faye is a hip-hop artist from Minot, North Dakota, and he’s had a busy year. He’s released two albums. This summer he opened for Tech N9ne in Sturgis and will be opening for Bone…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.com Dream-factory documentarian Alexandre O. Philippe connects with a Hollywood legend in “Kim Novak’s Vertigo,” the latest in a series of features exploring the filmmaker’s many…

By HPR staffsubmit@hpr1.com Mark the first weekend of October on your calendar. It’s the weekend of the Studio Crawl, which takes us all on a wonderful, metro-wide tour of our talented (and often wacky) arts community. On October…

Press release“Shakespeare with a sharpened edge.” To launch its 2025 – 2026 season, Theatre NDSU is thrilled to team up with Moorhead-based organization Theatre B to perform a co-production of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

By Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com When we are sick, all we want is a cure. You go to the doctor, they give you a pill, you take it for a bit, then you are cured. It happens. But unfortunately, it is not always the case. …

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.comMoral accountability and the crisis of leadership  As a recovering person living one day at a time for the last 35 years, I have learned not to judge others because I have not walked in…