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Narcan kits distributed to downtown Austin bars after suspected overdoses

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:23:13 -0500

Austin police and Austin-Travis County EMS went bar-to-bar along Sixth Street distributing hundreds of Narcan rescue kits following five suspected overdoses in the entertainment district.

The Austin Police Department brought 200 kits to distribute among roughly 50 bars in the downtown area, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. Each kit contains two doses of intranasal Narcan, and officials said bars would receive multiple kits.

"We’re going bar to bar and make sure that everybody has Narcan and knows how to use it," ATCEMS Capt. Christa Stedman said. "We just want to make sure everybody is equipped to handle that if it happens at their establishment."

The distribution came after five adults experienced suspected overdoses in and around Shakespeare’s on East Sixth Street early in the morning on Sept. 16.

EMS concerned about recent increase in overdoses

ATCEMS officials said Wednesday’s incident is not their only concern.

Commander Randy Chhabra said the agency has seen an increase in overdoses over the past seven days — and some patients have required larger amounts of Narcan to reverse the effects.

"Not only have we had more frequency, but what we’re seeing is we’re needing larger amounts of Narcan to reverse these overdoses," Chhabra said.

Chhabra said that trend has raised concerns about the substances involved, including the possibility of synthetic opioids being mixed with fentanyl or other drugs. Officials have not confirmed what substances caused Wednesday's suspected overdoses.

Narcan, a brand name for naloxone, can rapidly reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.

Chhabra demonstrated how to use the nasal spray Thursday night. Officials said if a person does not respond to the first dose, another dose can be administered after waiting three to five minutes.

"It’s really important that we have first responders within our community, like the bar operators and workers, to respond," Chhabra said. "Having these rescue kits is going to help them to do that before we arrive."

Bystanders administered Narcan before first responders

Wednesday’s incident demonstrated why officials want Narcan readily available inside downtown businesses.

Multiple 911 calls began coming in around 2:20 a.m. Wednesday for suspected overdoses in and around Shakespeare’s. Five adult patients were treated, including one person who was in respiratory arrest.

All five received Narcan from bystanders or first responders, and some required multiple doses.

Four were taken to area hospitals in stable condition, while a fifth refused transportation. No deaths were reported.

Officials said some downtown businesses already had Narcan available, allowing people at the scene to begin administering it before first responders arrived.

"We saw that some of the businesses in the area were able to actually administer Narcan before any other first responders got on scene," Stedman said. "Our partners at APD were also instrumental in that early Narcan administration, which I think is why we didn’t see the other night turn into a tragedy."

Bystanders also performed CPR. One man who jumped in to help told FOX 7 he relied on previous CPR training and kept the rhythm of his chest compressions to the beat of the Bee Gees’ "Stayin’ Alive."

Officials said Thursday they still cannot confirm whether fentanyl caused Wednesday’s suspected overdoses.

"What we do know is that it was an opioid-like substance that was used," Stedman said.

ATCEMS said responders make that determination based on a patient's symptoms but cannot identify the specific substance in the field.

Police initially described the incident as potentially involving a "bad batch" of drugs.

APD said its investigative units are now following leads to determine where the drugs may have originated and potentially prevent additional overdoses.

Thursday's Narcan distribution is similar to the response used during Austin's overdose surge in spring 2024.

"The idea is to flood the area with as much Narcan as we can, educate people about the signs and symptoms of overdose, how to be safe and how to use Narcan," Stedman said.

Austin police said working with downtown businesses is also part of its effort to keep the entertainment district safe.

"Whatever we can do to support people being safe down here, to include providing Narcan to the business owners and collaborating with them to ensure that we have a safe downtown district, we’re here to support that," APD Sgt. Rose Perez said.

Suspected overdoses in downtown Austin: 5 adults treated

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 09:03:15 -0500

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 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

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.

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’

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?

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."

Anyone with information about the suspected drugs or their source is asked to contact Austin Crime Stoppers at 512-472-8477.

Cedar Park toddler's lungs collapse while on family vacation

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:15:59 -0500

A family vacation has turned into a fight to save a two-year-old girl’s life.

A Cedar Park toddler suddenly stopped breathing, and her lungs collapsed, leading to weeks in the hospital.

Now back home, her family is facing another fight to get her the care she needs while medical bills continue to pile up.

In July, while visiting family in Minnesota, Eliza Garulle started vomiting. Her father, Louis Garulle, says she was taken to an emergency room.

Her lungs collapsed and she stopped breathing. She was life-flighted where doctors found a severe narrowing and rupture in her esophagus.

Eliza spent seven-and-a-half weeks in the hospital.

"I would say Eliza is a light in a world of darkness. You know, from the moment I held her when she was born, she just lit something up in me that wasn’t there," said Louis Garulle.

"That’s what’s been so hard about all of this, just seeing her with all the tubes, seeing her in such a sedated state, seeing her in pain and not being able to take it away, not knowing how to protect her, and really just feeling helpless," he added.

Her family says the biggest sign of progress isn't a number, it's seeing more of their little girl again.

"Slowly, day by day, we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. She has made progress, even though there’s still a very long road ahead," Louis said.

Her family says doctors are considering removing her damaged esophagus and using part of her intestine to reconstruct it with possibly months to years of recovery.

Eliza is expected to have more testing as doctors decide how soon she may need that major surgery.

For a family who thought they were leaving home for just one week, they’re now preparing for a recovery that could last years.

The financial toll is growing.

Louis Garulle says they're facing about $400,000 in out-of-pocket medical bills, so the family has now turned to the community for help.

Anyone who wishes to donate to help the Garulle family, click here or below for the GoFundMe campaign.