On Wednesday, London Police released a statement alerting community members of “an increased number of non-fatal overdoses in [London’s] downtown core” shortly after 11:15 a.m..
“Officers learned a suspect operating a vehicle in the downtown core provided a free substance to a number of people before leaving the area. Several people who ingested the substance subsequently overdosed and required medical care,” wrote the London Police Service.
In a statement to the Gazette, Dr. Christie MacDonald, the department head of emergency medicine at London Health Sciences Centre, said that London hospitals activated a “Code Orange Alert response” in response to the spike in non-fatal drug overdoses — the alert has since ended.
“While we understand that incidents necessitating this form of response may be unsettling, we want to assure you Team LHSC stands ready to respond to the community’s needs. Our dedicated physicians and staff are always prepared to respond to surges in patient volumes, and we have policies and procedures in place to assist us in addressing patient flow and capacity challenges,” wrote MacDonald.
In a statement to the Gazette, London Police Constable Matthew Dawson shared that the LPS is “not able to confirm the number of non-fatal overdoses at this time as the investigation is still in its very early stages.”
Dawson added that the LPS will “continue to work diligently to identify the source of the substance being handed out.”
“Public awareness and safety are key and we additionally continue to work with our community partners to make people aware of this investigation and bring it to a quick resolution.”
Individuals with information related to the incident are encouraged to call the London Police Service.
This story is developing and will continue to be updated as more information becomes available.