BURLINGTON — Police reported three heroin-related incidents in the past month, including two overdose deaths.
Rup Paudel, 28, of Burlington, died at a Luck Street apartment April 13, according to a recent news release.
Paudel was found unresponsive after consuming what police believe was heroin, but his usage did not indicate an intentional overdose, according to officials. Investigators are waiting on the toxicology results to determine the actual drug ingested. They say he may have consumed another drug as well.
Paudel’s is at least the second death apparently caused by a heroin overdose in three weeks, according to a separate statement Thursday by Mayor Miro Weinberger.
Investigators are also awaiting the toxicology results in the other death. Leslie Johnson, 50, was found dead in her North Street apartment March 22.
On April 8, Burlington police and UVM Rescue were called to a South Willard Street apartment for a 25-year-old woman who was suffering from a suspected heroin overdose. Officers administered two doses of naloxone to reverse the woman’s symptoms, according to police.
She was hospitalized and made a full recovery, according to officials. Police said investigation confirmed she overdosed on heroin.
Weinberger cited the incidents as further evidence of the need for an urgent and expanded response to the opiate problem.
“I thank the City Council for their approval … of the CommunityStat municipal effort to coordinate a regional approach to this terrible crisis and the many people who have contributed to the recent reductions of the Chittenden County treatment waiting list and other newly instituted strategies,” Weinberger said in his statement.
CommunityStat is a data-driven initiative championed by Burlington Police Chief Brandon del Pozo that is intended to improve the city’s response to heroin use by better tracking outcomes.
The City Council recently approved the hiring of a data analyst to help lead the effort.
The post Two deaths, close call blamed on heroin in a month in Burlington appeared first on VTDigger.