El Paso County coroner releases 2019 report; increases in suicide and fentanyl deaths
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- The coroner's office for El Paso County released its 2019 annual report, noting increases in suicides among adults and in fentanyl-related deaths.
The county coroner's officer investigated a total of 4,816 deaths in 2019, including deaths from several counties across southern Colorado.
In El Paso County alone, there were 816 deaths. The majority of deaths came as a result of accidents (41%) or natural causes (32%). However, there were 180 suicides last year, accounting for 22% of the county's deaths.
The coroner says the increase in suicides was predominantly in EPC's adult population compared to 152 in 2018. Most of the suicides were completed through firearms, according to the report.
Suicide among youth under the age of 18 remained stable at a total of nine deaths compared to seven in 2018.
The report shows 130 out of the 332 accidental deaths were due to drug-related complications or overdoses. Methamphetamine is still the top contributor to drug-related mortalities.
The coroner noted there have been decreases in heroin deaths this year, but those have been offset by an increase in fentanyl-related deaths. The opioid fentanyl was present at 21 deaths this year, compared to nine in 2018.
The Colorado Springs Police Department issued a community alert in December 2019 warning residents that fentanyl was being distributed within city limits.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate painkiller that's 40 to 50 times stronger than street-level heroin and can trigger sometimes lethal overdoses, police say.
For the FULL 2019 REPORT, click here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health or thoughts of self-harm, reach out for help. Below are several resources:
