Pasadena police seek possible link between 7 overdose cases reported within 24 hours

PASADENA, Calif. (KABC) -- The Pasadena Police Department is sounding the alarm after multiple deaths in the city, possibly related to opiate overdoses.

In a 24-hour span, officials said officers responded to six different calls related to overdoses.

The city said there were seven victims in total - three of them died, one person is in grave condition and the other three are recovering at local hospitals. All individuals were males who ranged in age from their 30s to their 60s.

The calls were between Friday at 4:30 p.m. to Saturday at 1 p.m., officials said.

The first call involved an unresponsive person suffering from respiratory distress "consistent with opiate overdose." The most recent call was in the 1700 block of Casitas Avenue, and officials said evidence suggested narcotics were "likely the cause" of death in that case.

"Although confirmation as to the cause of death will have to wait for toxicology reports, preliminarily it appears the overdoses were a result of the ingestion of an opiate," the city said in a statement. "Naloxone (NARCAN) was administered to two of the surviving individuals, with positive results."

Officials added opium-related deaths in Pasadena is very uncommon.

Detectives are investigating if the incidents are linked.

Pasadena police asks anyone with information to contact the department at (626) 744-4241.