Public's help sought to stem tide of Minnesota heroin deaths and hospitalizations

A wave of heroin overdose deaths and hospitalizations across northern Minnesota prompted an urgent plea from authorities Wednesday for the public's help in identifying dealers and users in an effort to prevent further tragedies.

Seven people have died and more than a dozen have been hospitalized in the past few weeks after ingesting heroin that in many cases was made even deadlier by the presence of added narcotics such as morphine and fentanyl, authorities said at Wednesday's news conference in Bemidji, Minn.

"We're here today because people are dying, and we need your help to try and stop it," said BCA special agent in charge Sue Burggraf.

http://www.startribune.com/beltrami-county-announces-plans-to-combat-heroin-od-deaths/372247371/