SPOKANE, Wash — Four inmates overdosed Monday at the Spokane County Jail, with two dying from suspected fentanyl overdoses.
According to Spokane County officials, the first victim, a man booked December 14, died shortly before noon. The second victim, a man booked December 7, died around 2 p.m. Two other inmates who overdosed Monday are expected to survive.
Spokane County has not released the names of the deceased inmates or disclosed how drugs entered the secure facility. The sheriff’s office is investigating both deaths.
This year alone, Narcan has been administered 38 times at the Spokane County Jail, and 35 overdose cases have required hospital transport.
The problem extends beyond Spokane County. Last week, six inmates at the Kootenai County Jail in northern Idaho were hospitalized after fentanyl overdoses.
Overdoses have become growing concerns for correctional facilities throughout the Inland Northwest as the fentanyl epidemic continues.
The synthetic opioid is significantly more potent than heroin and can be lethal in extremely small doses.
This is a developing story and will be updated as we get more information.
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