LAPD NEWS RELEASE
Los Alamos Police and Fire have responded to six unrelated calls at separate Los Alamos residences over the last week related to unresponsive patients due to potential overdoses. Of those six cases four Los Alamos residents have died. Los Alamos Police (LAPD) suspect the deaths are overdoses related to either pain medication or illicit drugs. LAPD has also confirmed Fentanyl was recovered at the scene of one of these deaths.
“While we cannot confirm the cause of death in these cases until the Office of the Medical Investigator has conducted their investigation,” commented Deputy Chief Oliver Morris, “we believe there is evidence that is alarming, and we want to inform the public of the dangers associated with the abuse of prescription medication and illicit drugs.”
In February 2023, LAPD made an arrest related to the alleged trafficking of Fentanyl in our community. During that investigation evidence was uncovered that revealed our local youth were targeted in the trafficking of Fentanyl. In March 2023, LAPD seized 60 pills of Fentanyl during a traffic investigation.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports 6 out of 10 Fentanyl pills seized potentially carries a lethal dose, and that over 50 million Fentanyl pills were seized in 2022.
“Our first responders carry Narcan and have saved several lives over the past few years, however there is no guarantee your life will be saved when the abuse of these drugs exists,” Morris explains.
On Saturday, April 22, 2023, LAPD will be conducting its biannual DEA Drug Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the north parking lot (off Central Ave.) of the Police Department (2300 Trinity Drive, Los Alamos).
Los Alamos Police will continue to work with our local youth to inform them of the dangers of Fentanyl and other illicit drugs, with several events coming later in April and in May. More information will be released for those events soon.
To learn more about Fentanyl and the risks, visit the DEA website: https://www.dea.gov/fentanylawareness
Crime Tips may be reported anonymously by calling L.A. Crime-Stoppers at (505) 662-8282.
