Deadly batch of heroin blamed for 9 deaths in Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA -- Police say a deadly batch of heroin on Philadelphia's streets is now being linked to at least nine deaths over the weekend.

Those people died within blocks of on another in what police are saying is one of the deadliest weekends in Kensington.

The victims ranged in age from their 20s to their 40s.

Police released the following details about those who died:

• Saturday, December 3, 2016, a 34-year-old male was located inside a vehicle on the 2800 block East Allegheny Avenue; he was pronounced dead at 8:35 a.m.
• Saturday, December 3, 2016, a 36-year-old female was located inside 28XX Rosehill Street unresponsive: she was pronounced dead at 2:15 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 24-year-old male was located inside 30XX North Broad Street unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at 4:00 a.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 28-year-old male was located inside a parked vehicle on the 3200 block of North 2nd Street; he was pronounced dead at 12:53 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 42-year-old male was located inside 33XX Kensington Avenue unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at 1:26 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 41-year-old male was located inside a vacant lot at 28XX 'D' Street unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at 2:01 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 31-year-old female was located inside 33XX Amber Street unresponsive; she was pronounced dead at 2:24 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 40-year-old male was located inside 28XX Kensington Avenue unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at 2:07 p.m.
• Sunday, December 4, 2016, a 29-year-old male was located on the highway at 6XX East Indiana Avenue unresponsive; he was pronounced dead at 8:00 p.m.

District Attorney Seth Williams said there could have been even more deaths if emergency personnel didn't have NARCAN, which helps reverse the effects of an overdose. Four lives were saved.

"It's getting out of control here. We have our kids in the streets playing with needles and dope bags," said Lewis Lawson-Hill.

Williams is vowing to tackle the problem head on, one drug dealer at a time.

"We are going to do all that we can, with the use of undercover officers, people giving us information, to prosecute people spreading this poison in our community," Williams said.

Police are now sorting through baggies and evidence left at the scene to see if they can connect the deaths.

"To see whether or not there is something that is laced or cut, or if it's just the purity of it," said Lt. John Stanford.

Williams says this past spring his office purchased $50,000 worth of NARCAN that was distributed to police.

He credits it with saving lives.

"And to date, Commissioner Ross has trained 996 officers to inject people that have OD'd," said Williams.

Philadelphia police say NARCAN has been used to save more than 150 lives so far this year, and that doesn't include lives saved by EMS and other emergency personnel.