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Eight people reportedly dead from wave of overdoses in Dauphin County

Since Tuesday, 22 overdoses -- at least eight of which were fatal -- have been reported in Dauphin County.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Dauphin County officials on Tuesday said there have been eight deaths resulting from a wave of overdoses in the county over the weekend.

A county spokesperson said there were 22 suspected overdoses reported across the county Friday night into Saturday morning, resulting in four deaths in the city of Harrisburg alone.

On Monday, the county provided additional updates and details. 

A total of 22 overdoses have been reported since Friday, according to spokesperson Jennifer Fitch. Seven of those overdoses resulted in deaths, and the death of a patient at UPMC is also suspected to be the result of an overdose -- raising the overall total to eight, pending toxicology test results.

The county on Tuesday released the identities of the eight people who are believed to have died of overdoses.

They are:

  • Bobby Barrett, 59, of Harrisburg
  • Geoffrey Patterson, 65, of Harrisburg
  • Deborah Davis, 70, of Harrisburg
  • Walter Wright, 64, of Lower Paxton Township
  • Anthony Alexander, 58, of Lower Paxton Township
  • Curtis Berry, 59, of Harrisburg
  • Dennell Gann, 59, of Harrisburg
  • David Weigher, 66, of Harrisburg

All of the above cases have toxicology results pending, and their causes of death are not yet finalized, the county said.

Of the 22 recorded overdoses in the county since Friday, Fitch said, 20 came in the city of Harrisburg.

On Saturday, Harrisburg Police announced that they were distributing Narcan to anyone interested in obtaining it.

Citizens were asked to come to the Harrisburg Police Station at 123 Walnut Street and speak to an administration/lobby officer.

In a notice on Saturday morning, Harrisburg city officials said the overdoses “appear to be associated with individuals believing they are ingesting a cocaine-based substance, but the substance appears to also contain an opioid-based narcotic.”

Also over the weekend, Harrisburg mayor Wanda R.D. Williams urged residents who were thinking about using drugs to avoid doing so.

“We were inundated with a lethal batch of drugs," Williams said. “We do not want to see any more danger, any more deaths, to the residents of the city of Harrisburg."

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