5 people overdose in Near West Side apartment: cops

Four men and a woman overdosed at a Near West Side apartment building Monday night, officials said. Officers were called to the 1300 block of South Throop Street about 9:30 p.m. for a “possible overdose,” police said. The five, four of whom were listed in serious condition and one in fair condition at the time, were taken to Rush Hospital and University of Illinois Hospital, according to Chicago fire department spokesperson Larry Langford. At the hospital, the patients underwent “detoxification,” police said. At least neighbor recalls seeing ambulances but did not know what was going on. The overdoses come on the heels of a health alert from the city, which said an increased number of opioid overdoses occurred in the Chicago area beginning May 11, and the numbers remained elevated as of May 13.Increase in Opioid Overdoses May 14, 2024 Additionally, fentanyl was present in approximately 9 out of every 10 fatal opioid overdoses in Chicago over the past few years, according to the alert. The case on Throop Street, which was classified as “non-criminal,” was closed by Area 3 detectives, according to police spokesperson Kellie Bartoli.