Five Fatal Fentanyl Overdoses Reported In 15-Hour Span In Hartford, Police Say

The opioid crisis came to a head in Hartford this week, as police responded to multiple fatal overdoses in just a 15-hour stretch, police said.

Officers from the Hartford Police Department reported that between approximately 8 p.m. on Monday, June 3 through noon on Tuesday, June 4, officers were dispatched to five fatal fentanyl overdoses throughout the city.

According to police, the fatal overdoses were different, and officers found fentanyl in pill form, powder form, mixed with heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

The fatal overdoses came hours after officers seized 100 bags of heroin/fentanyl, crack cocaine and cash from a Huntington Street multi-family home, arresting Hartford residents Bobby Wilson, 32, and Jonathan Harris, 43, who were charged with narcotics offenses.

According to the Connecticut Clearing House, fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic that is similar to morphine but is 50 to 100 times more potent.

“Opioid receptors are also found in the areas of the brain that control breathing rate. High doses of opioids, especially potent opioids such as fentanyl, can cause breathing to stop completely, which can lead to death,” the Connecticut Center for Prevention, Wellness and Recovery noted.

“The high potency of fentanyl greatly increases the risk of overdose, especially if a person who uses drugs is unaware that a powder or pill contains fentanyl. Fentanyl sold on the street can be mixed with heroin or cocaine, which markedly amplifies its potency and potential dangers”

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