Vancouver police are investigating a case of fentanyl poisoning that took place in Chinatown last month.
On Wednesday, Nov. 22 at around 9 p.m., a 56-year-old man who does not use drugs fell "mysteriously ill from fentanyl poisoning" after a brief interaction with a stranger. He was walking on East Pender, between Main and Columbia streets, when he went into medical distress and collapsed, explains the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) in a release.
Police patrolling the area came to the man's aid and paramedics gave him naloxone. He was then taken to hospital for fentanyl poisoning. Since he only speaks Cantonese, there was no indication that a criminal offence had occurred.
“This is a troubling case, and we don’t yet have all the answers, but some of our most experienced people are now leading this investigation,” said Const. Tania Visintin.
“We have heard from community members who are troubled by this incident. We want everyone to know that we’re working hard to find out what happened.”
One of the man's family members told police that they believed the stranger may have deliberately exposed him to fentanyl. The VPD's Major Crime Section launched an investigation after receiving the additional information.
Investigators spent days reviewing evidence and retracing the man’s steps from the night he fell ill. They have now identified the stranger he had the brief encounter with.
“We know this man is not a drug user and that he did not intentionally consume fentanyl on the night he fell ill," Visintin added. “We are working with the man, his family, and medical professionals to understand how lethal drugs entered his system. We have not ruled out the possibility he was intentionally exposed to fentanyl.”
The man has recovered and the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact VPD’s Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541.
