LA County inmates hospitalized, deputies evaluated after suspected overdose at jail

Seven Los Angeles County jail inmate were hospitalized after being exposed to an unknown substance at Men's Central Jail, an incident sheriff's officials have now described as a suspected overdose that led to several deputies also being medically evaluated. 

First responders were called to the jail, located at 441 E. Bauchet St. in Chinatown, at 6:49 a.m. for a call about the inmates possibly inhaling or being exposed to a substance which authorities have not yet formally identified, according to the LA Fire Department. The exposure happened inside Dorm 5600 of the jail, and they were all taken for medical evaluation, LAFD said.  

Hours later, just before 3 p.m., seven deputies who had been searching through the dormitory as part of the investigation were taken to area hospitals after some experienced symptoms potentially related to the earlier incident, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. They were evaluated as a precaution and all were conscious and in stable condition, sheriff's officials said.

Earlier, authorities said one of the seven inmates was in critical condition but later said he was in stable condition by around 4 p.m. The other six inmates had been described by authorities earlier as being in serious condition.

Some of the men were seen being escorted away from the jail in wheelchairs in aerial footage of the scene Tuesday morning. 

Hazmat specialists responded before LA County's Health Hazardous Materials Division took over the situation alongside sheriff's officials. "No escalating or off-site hazard has been identified," LAFD said in an alert.

Earlier this month, hazmat investigators were called to the jail to decontaminate certain areas following another incident that led to the hospitalization of multiple inmates. One inmate was pronounced dead at the scene while another six were hospitalized. 

The LA County Medical Examiner on Tuesday identified the man who died as Tourmaria Foreman, 33. LAFD officials said he was transported due to an overdose from a powdery substance. 

However, his cause of death remains under investigation by the coroner.

Authorities initially described that situation as a suspected overdose but later said they were still working to determine an official cause. The inmates had all started suffering from some sort of medical distress while inside the same cell at the same time, LA County Sheriff's Sgt. Michael Modica told reporters at the time, not disclosing what their symptoms were.

When deputies called 911 that morning, they had described the situation as a suspected overdose and firefighters used Narcan to try rehabilitating the man who died, said LAFD Captain Erik Scott. But he and other officials said the coroner and other investigators would have to carry out further investigation to confirm whether or not the incident was actually drug-related.

Authorities have not identified drugs as being potentially involved in Tuesday's incident and have not released any other details about a suspected cause.