By Pamela Roth
A possible bad batch of drugs circulating on the streets of Victoria has police concerned there could be more overdoses following an exceptionally busy weekend where one man died.
On Sunday afternoon, officers were called to the Johnson Street Parkade after security guards were notified of an unresponsive man in the stairwell.
Efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful. Two other people were also found in the same parkade, but managed to survive.
The B.C. Coroners Service is now investigating the cause of death, but police said it appears to be a drug overdose. A bad batch of heroin or another drug possibly laced with fentanyl could be to blame.
“It appears that there is a potential bad batch of drugs on the street right now,” said Victoria police spokesperson Const. Matt Rutherford. “When police do come across this, we work with our partners in the community to try and educate people that there is a bad batch going around.”
During the weekend, police responded to an unusually high number (more than 10) of drug overdoses. Rutherford said it's rare for officers to attend that many in such a short period of time.
Post mortem testing is expected to be completed on the man within the next few days.
More to come....