Narcan used to save man’s life after overdose in Waveland parking lot, say police
A 10-second video showing first responders helping the victim was shared to Facebook, but authorities say it’s not quite as it appears.
WAVELAND, Miss. (WLOX) - A man is in the hospital fighting to recover after overdosing in the parking lot of a Hancock County shopping center Monday. The quick actions of first responders were caught on video by a witness.
Ken Cook was headed to a gym in a Waveland shopping center when he saw a man lying on the pavement next to the open passenger door of a car.
Another car was stopped by the man with its driver’s side door open. That car is seen on the video quickly driving off, it’s driver’s side door still open, leaving the man on the ground next to the vehicle.
Cook said he immediately called 911 and began videoing the scene. He posted about his experience on Facebook, including a 10-second video and a photo with the victim’s face covered for privacy.
“So I pull up to the gym tonight and notice a guy trying to put a body in the car. Once he hears my truck, he just drops the guy and starts to drive off,” read Cook’s original post before it was taken down sometime Tuesday afternoon.
Cook stayed with the man until first responders arrived and continued to record them as they worked to save him.
“I was shocked. I had never seen anything like that before and it was a huge adrenaline rush,” Cook told WLOX. “Instinct kicked in with someone on the ground, and I was going to do everything I could to save them.”
Waveland Police Chief Mike Prendergast told WLOX the man was unconscious, likely from an overdose, and had to be revived using Narcan.
Despite how the 10-second video appears, the police chief said the person that drove away in the car is not accused of any wrongdoing.
The man survived and was taken to the hospital, where he is recovering, said Prendergast.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 70,000 Americans died in 2019 due to drug overdose.
In Mississippi, 440 people died from overdoses in 2020, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics. The organization says white males make up the majority of those with a total of 211 deaths.
Last month, Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer spoke to WLOX about drug use in South Mississippi, saying fentanyl-induced deaths are increasing in the county and have led to an epidemic.
Because of its potency and low cost, drug dealers have been mixing fentanyl with other drugs like heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine, drastically increasing the likelihood of a fatal interaction.
The Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics reports that although marijuana is the most prevalent drug in the state, the use and addiction of certain synthetic opioids and stimulants pose the greatest threat to communities.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, a 2013-2014 survey showed roughly 65,000 people in Mississippi ages 12 or older were dependent on or abused illicit drugs within the year prior to being surveyed.
If you or someone you know is showing signs of an overdose - which includes slow, ragged breathing, pale and clammy skin, or vomiting - you should immediately call 911 for help.
For resources to help overcome substance addiction, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s national helpline can be reached by calling 1-800-662-4357.
READ MORE:
An in-depth look at the drug epidemic in Mississippi
Fatal fentanyl overdoses a growing epidemic, says Coast coroner
Copyright 2021 WLOX. All rights reserved.
