At least 6 hospitalized in suspected ‘tainted’ cocaine overdose at Boulder fraternity house

In an update, the Boulder Police Department said the men had “consumed an extreme amount of alcohol and some had consumed drugs, which led them to become violently ill.”1:50 AM, Dec 11, 2024 and last updated 6:22 AM, Dec 11, 2024
BOULDER, Colo. — In an update Tuesday, the Boulder Police Department walked back its claim that University of Colorado Boulder students overdosed on a possibly tainted batch of cocaine over the weekend.

Boulder PD said officers responded to the Kappa Sigma fraternity house, located in the 1100 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, between 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Saturday for reports of several men who were sick/ overdosing.The department initially said that six men were treated at the hospital or by medical personnel at the scene. In its update, Boulder PD said five men were initially treated “but there could be more.”

One man was initially given a “grave” prognosis. He is now stable and remains at the hospital, according to Boulder police.On Tuesday, Boulder PD said its officers initially believed the students had overdosed on possibly tainted cocaine “based on the initial information, Narcan use, and evidence found at the scene.” However, further investigation revealed that the men had “consumed an extreme amount of alcohol and some had consumed drugs, which led them to become violently ill.”

Fentanyl was not involved in Saturday’s incident, according to Boulder police.

Detectives found cocaine at the scene, and it’s currently being tested. Investigators are also looking into whether the actions at the party were related to the fraternity.

Boulder PD said its investigation is still in the early stages and detectives are “seeking cooperation from Kappa Sigma and its members.”

ternity off campus.

Police in Boulder are issuing a warning about possibly tainted drugs after six men at a Kappa Sigma fraternity house party were hospitalized for cocaine overdoses Saturday night.

kappasigma.png
By: Robert Garrison
Posted 7:49 PM, Dec 08, 2024 and last updated 1:59 AM, Dec 11, 2024
UPDATE | Dec. 10, 2024 | In an update, the Boulder Police Department walked back its claim that University of Colorado Boulder students overdosed on a possibly tainted batch of cocaine over the weekend. Read the latest information here.

Youpossibly tainted drugs after six men at a Kappa Sigma fraternity house were hospitalized after overdosing on cocaine Saturday night.

Detectives are also investigating whether this was related to pledging at the fraternity, according to police.

A spokesperson for the University of Colorado Boulder confirmed the people involved in the incident are CU students. They said Kappa Sigma is an expelled fraternity off campus.

“CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs, Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) and the Office of Victim Assistance (OVA) are working together to communicate with those directly impacted and provide support. We are also working closely with the Boulder Police Department as it continues its criminal investigation. CU Boulder’s Division of Student Affairs will determine whether any necessary disciplinary action will be taken,” a CU spokesperson said in a statement.

The spokesperson continued to list some ways in which the university educates students about the use of alcohol and other substances.

That includes the Divisions of Health and Wellness and Student Affairs working to educate students about overdose prevention and harm reduction, training that is offered to student groups, and providing free naloxone and fentanyl test strips throughout campus and the community.Denver7 spoke with Blue Rising, a nonprofit organization that works to raise awareness about the risks of certain substances. The group’s executive director, Dawn Reinfeld, said they work with 12 college campuses across the state.

“It’s hard to talk about drugs, and it’s hard to admit when there’s a problem,” Reinfeld said. “If we don’t talk honestly about that drug problem, it never gets better, and it doesn’t give us a chance to educate and to just be honest with ourselves about who we are and the circumstance we find ourselves in.

”CU Boulder participates in the Overdose Detection Mapping Application Program (ODMAP), which is a national system designed to track where overdoses occur. The data can help determine if overdoses are spiking in certain areas, and would “notify first responders of increased incidents in specific geographic locations.”We need to track it and then warn people. And the school, not just CU Boulder, but the other schools in the state, need to send out warnings to parents and students, just like we would for an active shooter,” Reinfeld said. “If we can let them know, then it’s not this silent killer. It can be something that the community then acknowledges is happening, and either people can choose to test their drugs or not use drugs… they can make an informed decision.”

A CU spokesperson said the school does amplify messaging from Boulder County Public Health and law enforcement when those agencies issue warnings about the prevalence of certain drugs in the community. “The Boulder Police Department is the lead agency in this incident, and we will continue to coordinate with BPD should campuswide messaging be needed,” the spokesperson wrote in an email.

Police said the investigation is ongoing, and charges are pending.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact Boulder Police tipline at 303-441-1974 regarding case 24-12864.