Deadly mix: UNC scientists identify eight drugs in NC overdose spike
LEACH'S CELL PHONE IS KEY TO
BUILDING THEIR CASE
AGAINST HIM.
>> IT HAS BEEN 6 WEEKS SINCE 4
PEOPLE DIED IN GOLDSBORO IN 4
DAYS. MORE THAN A DOZEN OTHERS
ACROSS EASTERN NORTH
CAROLINA OVERDOSED AROUND THE
VERY SAME TIME. FAMILIES,
COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT HAVE BEEN SEARCHING
FOR ANSWERS ABOUT WHAT CAUSED
THESE DEATHS TONIGHT. WRAL,
INVESTIGATIVE DATA JOURNALIST
ALI INGERSOLL HAS NEW DETAILS
ABOUT WHAT WAS IN THE
CONTAMINATED SUPPLY
>> WHAT WAS SOLD AS ILLEGAL
FENTANYL WOUND UP BEING A
MIXTURE OF 8 DIFFERENT DRUGS.
THAT WAS A PARTICULARLY NASTY
MIX OF SUBSTANCES THAT
INVOLVED.
>> THAT'S ON STYLES IN, BUT
ALSO A VERY BENZODIAZEPINE WHO
SNATCHED AN AND ANOTHER KIND OF
DESIGNER CHEMICAL THAT'S DOCTOR
NAV, A SCOOP DEATH. A SENIOR
SCIENTIST AT THE UNC STREET
DRUG ANALYSIS LAB. THEY'VE A
PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DOZENS OF
PUBLIC HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS,
INCLUDING EDGECOMBE EMS.
THIS WAS DONE FOR SURE FOR US.
>> WHEN I SAW THE RESULTS,
THERE WAS A NUMBER OF THINGS
THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE
IN EDGECOMBE COUNTY PER SE IN
DIDN'T REALLY MAKE SENSE.
AS FAR AS THE MIXTURE.
>> THIS IS THEIR SECOND ATTEMPT
AT TRYING TO IDENTIFY WHAT WAS
IN THE SUPPLY THIS TIME THE
SAMPLE CAME FROM A BAG STAND
WITH A CERTAIN DESIGN. WHAT
PARTICULARLY UNSETTLING A FEW
MONTHS EARLIER, BARRETT HAD
SAMPLES TESTED FROM A DIFFERENT
BAG WITH THIS SAME STAMP AND
THE RESULTS CAME BACK VASTLY
DIFFERENT.
>> USUALLY TRY AND THINK ABOUT
THESE STANCES LIKE LABELS ON A
BEER BOTTLE LIKE THIS IS
MICHELOB ULTRA. THIS IS THIS
AND IT'S LIKE THE SAME THING.
TIME AND TIME AGAIN. BUT THAT'S
NOT THE CASE. BARRETT SAYS HE
WILL NOW TAKE THIS INFORMATION
TO THE COMMUNITY.
>> HOPEFUL THAT KNOWING A MIX
LIKE THIS EXIST WILL RAISE
AWARENESS AND SAVE LIVES,
SEEING PEOPLE.
>> I DIED FROM SOMETHING THAT
WE CAN PERMIT. REALLY KINDA
TAKE THOSE MY HEARTSTRINGS AS A
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL.
>> FOR WRAL NEWS, I'M ALI BUT
THE VARIETY OF DRUGS IN THE
SUPPLY, ALI WANTED TO KNOW
WOULD NALOXONE HAVE WORK TO
REVERSE THAT OVERDOSE? BOTH MEN
SAID YES, BUT THEY PROBABLY
WOULD HAVE REMAINED UNCONSCIOUS