LAKEWOOD, CA – A potential mass overdose incident took place involving the potent synthetic opioid, fentanyl. The overdose led to one man’s death and the hospitalization of three other people in Lakewood, as informed by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
Emergency services were alerted around 1 a.m. on Sunday about the fentanyl-related incident. Officers arrived after they received a distress call about four people who had seemingly ceased breathing due to a suspected fentanyl overdose. The incident occurred in a residence situated on the 6600 block of Dillman Street.
Although one man lost his life at the scene, three other adults were swiftly transported to the hospital to receive medical attention. Their present health statuses remain undisclosed.
To validate the suspected fentanyl overdoses, authorities will first need to conduct lab testing. Fentanyl has been identified as the driving force behind an alarming increase in accidental drug overdose deaths both locally and nationwide.
In 2022, Los Angeles County noted fentanyl as the leading cause of such fatalities. The amount of fentanyl deaths even surpassed methamphetamine-related deaths. An estimated 1,900 individuals succumbed to fentanyl overdoses in the county that year, as cited by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.