Suspected overdoses in downtown Austin: 5 adults treated
Several overdoses reported on 6th Street
The Austin Police Department is investigating after five people were treated for what police believe was a "bad batch" of drugs.
AUSTIN, Texas - Five adults were treated after a series of suspected overdoses on East Sixth Street early Wednesday morning, prompting a large response from Austin police, fire and EMS.
Austin police investigating suspected overdoses
The backstory:
The Austin Police Department says the cases appear to be opioid-related, but the substance involved has not been confirmed.
Austin-Travis County EMS said emergency crews began receiving multiple 911 calls around 2:20 a.m. reporting people experiencing overdose symptoms in and around a bar in the 300 block of East Sixth Street.
Police said the incidents were concentrated in and around Shakespeare’s Pub.
First responders found five adult patients, including one person who was in respiratory arrest from an apparent overdose, according to ATCEMS.
All five were given Narcan by first responders and bystanders at the scene, and some required multiple doses.
Four patients were taken to area hospitals in stable condition, while a fifth refused transportation.
Officials said the patient, who had initially been in respiratory arrest, was also stable when transported.
Bystanders jump in to help
What they're saying:
Police credited bar employees and other people in the area with helping before and alongside first responders.
Jay Baumann said he was enjoying a normal night out when someone suddenly asked if anyone knew CPR. He rushed to the back of the bar and began chest compressions on an unresponsive person.
Suspected overdoses on East 6th Street
Five adults were treated after a group of suspected overdoses near a bar in downtown Austin. FOX 7 Austin's Julieanna Jackson has the details.
Curtis Fitzgerald, who was working nearby, said he grabbed Narcan from the bar kept on hand and administered multiple doses before helping perform CPR.
Fitzgerald said the person eventually began coughing and regained a pulse.
"The bystanders that gave Narcan are really the first responders," Austin police said during an early-morning briefing.
Police investigating possible ‘bad batch’
Dig deeper:
Austin police said investigators believe a "bad batch" of drugs may have contributed to the suspected overdoses.
Police stressed that toxicology results are not yet available, so investigators do not know exactly what substance was involved.
An officer said the cases appeared to be opioid-related and that he "wouldn’t be surprised" if fentanyl was involved.
Fentanyl involvement has not been confirmed.
"I would just implore, caution, highly encourage anybody listening to this, do not risk your life by taking these narcotics. As tonight demonstrates, it could be fatal. Thank God, tragedy was averted for these five individuals tonight," Cpl. Matthew Nonweiler with APD said.
Police said the department’s narcotics unit is expected to investigate and officers will work with businesses in the area to determine where the drugs came from and who may have supplied them.
APD said this is the first multi-patient overdose incident of this scale downtown since the overdose surge Austin experienced in spring 2024.
No deaths were reported in Wednesday morning’s incident.
What are the signs of an opiate overdose?
Dig deeper:
Signs of opiate overdose include small pupils, unresponsiveness, pale face, clammy skin, and gurgling or vomiting.
Stefanie Roe, founder of Texas Against Fentanyl, lost her son five years ago after he took a fentanyl-laced pill.
She says these overdoses are a reminder that people need to be vigilant, and having Narcan and knowing how to use it can be lifesaving.
"We're in a totally different time where drugs are being laced with poison, and you may not know what's in it. It's so important that if you don't know where it comes from, if it doesn't come from a doctor, a pharmacy, or a trusted source, you should not be purchasing it," she said. "I've heard people reference what happened as a bad batch. All batches are bad. All illicit substances contain stuff that we may or may not know what is in them, and it's important that we understand that, and we don't risk our life because lives are very important."
What you can do:
Anyone with information about the suspected drugs or their source is asked to contact Austin Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.
The Source: Information from interviews with witnesses Jay Baumann and Curtis Fitzgerald, Austin Police Department news conference and reporting by Julianna Jackson and Angela Shen