FILE PHOTO
(ROB MUNRO / iNFOnews.ca)
September 25, 2022 – 1:47 PM
Kelowna’s mayor says there needs to be more supports in place for vulnerable people after five people died of overdose yesterday and a man is in the hospital after his tent was run over on the Okanagan Rail Trail.
“The events of the past 24 hours have reinforced the vital importance of continuing to advocate for the right supports for vulnerable people living on our streets and for people with addictions,” said Mayor Colin Basran, in a statement.
“With five deadly overdoses within nine hours yesterday and last night’s horrific incident between a truck driver and a person using the temporary overnight shelter, the need for more shelter space, complex care facilities is obvious.”
Yesterday, the Kelowna RCMP issued a warning to the public after police officers responded to five overdose deaths in the Central Okanagan.
The deaths happened quickly after the individuals ingested the drugs, “which tells me there’s something in this batch of drugs that’s pretty toxic, we don’t know what that is,” said Cst. Mike Della-Paolera, with the Kelowna RCMP, adding he’s never seen five overdose deaths in a day in his career.
RCMP officers are currently connecting with shelters in the area to identify the victims.
Interior Health echoed the RCMP’s warning, saying it is seeing an increasingly toxic drug supply. The health authority did not release a drug alert to the public at this time as they did not have enough information about the common substance linked to the overdoses.
Just after midnight, Sept. 25, the RCMP also responded to an incident on the Okanagan Rail Trail after a truck ran over a man occupying a tent. The driver was arrested and police said alcohol is believed to be a factor.
READ MORE: Man in hospital with ‘serious injuries’ after run over by truck on Okanagan Rail Trail
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