A tragic wave of overdoses hit downtown Austin Monday with Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) and the Austin Police Department (APD) racing against time to respond to 31 drug-related emergencies. In the spate of incidents, three lives were lost at the scene, with the majority showing symptoms of opiate abuse, according to the City of Austin.

The spiking incidents prompted the city's Homeless Strategy Officer to step in, coordinating efforts with local homeless shelters for individual room checks. ATCEMS Community Health Paramedics worked tirelessly throughout the day, distributing 223 life-saving Narcan kits and educating the public on overdose recognition and response. "We’ve been passing out Narcan kits and teaching people how to use them to empower our community members to help us save lives," ATCEMS Assistant Chief Steve White explained, as per the City of Austin.

The deceitfulness of the drug market, Dr. Mark Escott, ATCEMS Chief Medical Officer, warned against the dangers of counterfeit drugs, noting that "opiates like fentanyl are being used in almost every counterfeit drug on the market." He sternly advised against using medications not prescribed by a licensed physician, as the victims thought they ingested a non-opioid substance. The dire situation has prompted an aggressive response from APD’s Organized Crime Division Narcotics Support Unit, investigating the source and aiming to bring the dealers to justice.