Annual coroner's report shows decrease in homicides, increase in fentanyl deaths

The 2023 El Paso County Coroner's Office annual report shows a decrease in homicides, drug overdose deaths, and gun-related homicides in the county.

The coroner's office released the report on Tuesday, which shows death trends in 2023. The report showed downward trends in multiple areas compared to 2022:

• 19% decrease in motor vehicle deaths
• 36% decrease in homicides
• 25% decrease in gun-related homicides
• 6% decrease in homelessness deaths
• 2% decrease in total suicides

Although total drug-related deaths decreased from 2022 to 2023, fentanyl-related deaths rose by 6%. El Paso County Coroner Leon Kelly said the trend is impacting younger populations.
“The people who die of fentanyl in this community are on average 10 years younger than the people that die of all other drugs," he said.

Coroner Kelly said the increase in fentanyl deaths has slowed in recent years compared to a 123% increase from 2019 to 2020 and a 110% increase from 2020 to 2021 in El Paso County.

The report said 94% of all drug-related deaths happened before the patient could get to a hospital. Coroner Kelly said community intervention with things like Narcan can play a huge role in decreasing this statistic.

The coroner's office also pointed out that chronic alcohol-related deaths rose by 223% from 26 deaths in 2019 to 84 deaths in 2023.

You can read the full coroner's office report below:

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'The heart of Colorado': Nonprofit helps donate El Paso County Fair livestock sales to local shelter

The Junior Livestock Sale at the El Paso County Fair teaches children many life skills, and one nonprofit is making sure kids learn another: giving back to the community.

Buyers at Junior Livestock Sale have option to donate meat to those in need

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