A 56-year-old man was walking through downtown Vancouver when he collapsed and went into medical distress on Nov. 22. around 9 p.m.
The circumstances of the medical emergency are shrouded in mystery but Vancouver police investigators say the man fell ill due to fentanyl.
A few officers, who were nearby at the time, came to the man’s aid. Paramedics also responded to the incident and were able to administer naloxone.
The man, who only speaks Cantonese, was then taken to hospital.
Police said the man is not a drug user but did have a brief encounter with a stranger in Chinatown just before he became ill.
“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,” Const. Tania Visintin said. “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.”
VPD’s major crime section has launched an investigation after talking with one of the man’s family members, who said he may have been intentionally exposed to fentanyl by the stranger.
“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.”
Investigators said the stranger has been identified.
The man has since recovered.
Anyone with possible information regarding this incident is asked to contact Vancouver police at 604-717-2541.
