1 dead, 6 hospitalized from overdoses at downtown L.A. jail

One person was dead and several others were hospitalized from reported overdoses at Men’s Central Jail in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning.

Want to get caught up on what's happening in SoCal every weekday afternoon? Click to follow The L.A. Local wherever you get podcasts.

Margaret Stewart with the Los Angeles City Fire Department told KNX News that the seven patients were between the ages of 18 and 35. The 35-year-old man was in critical condition when first responders arrived.

“We provided advanced life-saving medical care. Unfortunately, he was beyond help and determined dead on scene,” she said. “The other six patients, fortunately, are all what we call ambulatory, walking, talking and alert.”

Men’s Central Jail is operated by the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department and houses thousands of inmates who are awaiting trial or have been convicted. The L.A. County Board of Supervisors voted to close the dilapidated facility in 2020, but have made little progress on the plan.

The six surviving patients were transported to a hospital, and Stewart said a hazmat team was on the scene. It’s unknown what substance caused the overdose.

Follow KNX News 97.1 FM
Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | TikTok