police treat addict
Fix Homelessness How to rebuild human lives
Blog

Police Save Lives in Seattle’s Fentanyl Crisis

View at Twitter
Share
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Flipboard
Print
Email

They’re Heroes

@SeattleFire and @SeattlePD saved man’s life earlier today in #Seattle as he overdosed on #fentanyl. When will lawmakers realize this is a drug addiction crisis? You can’t build your way out of this! @GovInslee @MayorofSeattle @kcexec @SeattleCouncil @CMAndrewJLewis

Changing Narrative

We see it on 3rd Ave and Little Saigon daily. City leaders must now admit it’s an addiction crisis. Every encampment is littered with drug paraphernalia. Out of record 310 homeless deaths last year, majority were #fentanyl related. #Seattle

Actual Breakdown of Homeless Deaths Seattle 2022

-70% fentanyl related.

-18 homeless people died by homicide.

-35 homeless people died from natural causes.

-10 homeless people died from hypothermia or exposure.

-7 homeless people died from suicide.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/washington/articles/2023-01-16/fentanyl-fuels-record-homeless-deaths-in-seattle-area

Stunning Development

@KCPubHealth‘s Dr. Faisal Khan says “the medical examiner’s office is now struggling with the issue of STORING BODIES because the fentanyl related death toll continues to climb.” @GovInslee @kcexec @MayorofSeattle #Seattle #KingCounty

Zero Accountability

“Harm reduction” lobby is adding fuel to America’s drug epidemic. Unlimited needles, foil, and supplies to get high. But little intervention or requirements for addicts to get treatment. And this industry is profiting handsomely. #Seattle

It’s the Drugs, Stupid

Resilient small biz owners like @RohanJoseph12 huge part of 2022 narrative. Fed up with #Seattle‘s drug addicts disrupting biz, he’s documenting every single encounter and now personally trying to change the culture on his street.

Human tragedy

#Chinatown-ID continues to unfairly shoulder burden of crime, drug addiction, and homeless crisis. This past September, I documented numerous instances of addicts injecting in front of kids. @GovInslee @kcexec @MayorofSeattle @kc_rha #Seattle

Drug City

The drug epidemic is so bad in #Seattle, I now carry Narcan since I encounter addicts daily. In October, a guy was “tweaking” on drugs in traffic near Lams’ Seafood on King St. He refused help. @GovInslee @MayorofSeattle @kcexec @SeattleCouncil

Every Homeless Encampment

Back in October, I caught up with these fellas in SODO. Why are we allowing homeless addicts to die on our streets? We are losing a GENERATION. Where is the intervention? @GovInslee @kcexec @MayorofSeattle @KC_RHA @seattledot

Seattle’s Unending Drug Crisis

I spent months reporting on 3rd Ave. in downtown Seattle and Little Saigon. Despite efforts by @MayorofSeattle and @SeattlePD, open air drug dens/black markets are THRIVING. #Seattle @GovInslee @kcexec

Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty
Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy. Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entrepreneurship to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago. As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.