Bodies found in car were there for some time, police say
Police investigate possibility deaths related to fentanyl, carfentanil use
Two men, whose bodies were found in a parked car in near aWinnipeg elementary school, had been there for days and likelydied from a drug overdose, police say.
The identities of the men have not been released but police say their ages are 27 and 35.
Investigators are still waiting on results from autopsies and the analysis of the car to comment more on the cause of death, but police arelooking into thethe possibility of a connection to fentanyl or carfentanil.
"We are absolutely looking into that possibility, absolutely. To ignore that possibility, in light of what we know, in light of the discussions in our community, it would be unheard of for us to think otherwise," saidConst. Jason Michalyshen.
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Shelley Marshall, a public health nurse with Street Connections, said there is an element of uncertainty involved in using street drugs that can prove fatal in some cases.
"You actually don't know what you're getting, so people have to be really careful if they're using a new source," Marshall said."A lot of the overdoses that I am aware of, people didn't really know what they were using."
While the investigation is in the early stage, there wasevidence of drugs and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle, he said.
"Based on our preliminary investigation, this appears to be drug-related,"Michalyshen said, adding he does not know exactlyhow long the men had been in the vehicle, but certainly it was "days."
"Other than that, that's about as descriptive as I can get."
Police also want to make it clear the deaths do not appear to suggest there is anydanger to the public. Based on the preliminary investigation,there isno evidence of violence or foul play,Michalyshensaid.
Emergency workers were called to the sceneonCollege Avenue nearMachrayelementary schoolat 10:35 a.m. Monday after a member of the publicreported seeing the bodies in a car.