Skip to Content
News

Three Dead in Downtown From Suspected Fentanyl Poisoning, L.A. To Hand Out 50,000 Boxes of NARCAN

Colin Davis/Unsplash

Sad, all-too-familiar news from downtown today, as CBS reports the discovery of three men, found dead in the same Los Angeles apartment this week from suspected drug overdoses.

A powdery substance found on the scene, among drug paraphernalia, is believed to be or contain fentanyl, the lethal opioid often used to cut heroin and found increasingly in a wide range of other drugs. NARCAN, which can stop an overdose in its track, was not used in this case, as the men were already dead when emergency workers arrived.

Two of the three dead men have been identified, including 47-year-old Jason Turnage, listed on LinkedIn as a USC-educated actor, filmmaker, and the CEO of Gibson Street Studio, and 48-year-old Mirko Salaris, a local house DJ originally from Italy.

A police officer responding to the scene, which followed a family members' call on Wednesday about three unresponsive people in the residence, reported feeling ill himself after being exposed to the scene of the tragedy, having possibly inhaled some of the drug by accident. The officer was taken to the hospital for testing and is reported to be in stable condition.

According to an AP story on the deaths, the Biden administration's first national drug control strategy has noted the predicted, "historic" deaths of over 105,000 people in the U.S. from drug overdoses last year, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in 66% of these cases. One  doesn't need to look far to find stories of acquaintances, friends, heroes, and neighbors dying from ODs these days, as in the famous cases of beloved stars like Tom Petty, Michael K. Williams, and Prince to painkillers that contained fentanyl.

L.A. TACO itself had just mentioned the deaths of four comedy veterans at a house in Venice using fentanyl-laced cocaine last year, while looking at Dead City Punx's efforts to train us all in the use of NARCAN this week. Whereas elsewhere in the country, a student at Ohio State was reported dead today after taking counterfeit Aderall laced with fentanyl.

Frequent tragedies such as these have led the U.S. to label fentanyl-related deaths an epidemic. Numerous cities and states in the U.S. are reporting their own crises in fentanyl-related overdoses, including San Francisco, New Jersey, and St. Louis, just to cite a few recent national cries for help.

In response to our own worsening crisis, Los Angeles has just announced plans to hand out 50,000 boxes of NARCAN in an effort to stem the flood of this pernicious, life-snatching opiate.

Hopefully, the city's move will help prevent one more mass-overdose, like this week's tragedy in Downtown, from occurring again.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from L.A. TACO

Nine L.A. Restaurants That Will Do Thanksgiving For You, From Pupusas to ‘Chinese Turkey’

From 12-hour-roasted brisket in East L.A. to a Thai feast in Atwater and Chinatown’s famous Chinese Turkey, have a stress-free Thanksgiving and buy your dinner this season at these L.A. restaurants.

November 12, 2024

This Weekend: Thai-Salvadoran Sandwiches, Asado Negro Tacos, and New Westside Korean

Plus wild caught Maine lobster rolls, Guatemalan garnachas on a lake, and a favorite for tacos al vapor.

November 8, 2024

L.A.’s First Cochinita Pibil is Legendary and Still Amazing, 52 Years Later

“Cochinita is my fountain of youth,” jokes Marc Burgos, the second-generation owner of this pioneering panaderia. At 50 years old, he is younger than his father’s pioneering Yucatán bakery, the first in L.A. to offer cochinita pibil tacos. 

November 7, 2024

The 24 Best Tacos Al Pastor, Adobada, and Árabes In Los Angeles

Is al pastor L.A.'s official taco? Judging by the sheer amount of crispy-edged trompos dotted around every single corner of this beautiful city, we can certainly make that argument. Here is our vetted list that took us nearly two decades to compile. ¡Provecho!

November 7, 2024

Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra Director Seeks Donations to Avoid Losing Childhood Home in Leimert Park

After Session’s landlord “abruptly” served him with a 60 day notice earlier this month, “for no other reason than wanting to sell the property,” Session decided his best chance of staying in the house would be to buy it.

November 6, 2024
See all posts