MNeagle
5th November 2011, 08:28 PM
http://www.vancouversun.com/5589821.bin
Tensions are high at the Occupy Vancouver site after a female, who is believed to be in her 20s, died late Saturday afternoon in what Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services are calling a "medical emergency."
The woman was found unresponsive around 4:30 p.m. and was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
VFRS spokesman Capt. Gabe Roder confirmed the woman who died was in a tent, but it is unknown whether she was a resident of the tent city.
Witnesses report a chaotic scene outside the Vancouver Art Gallery Saturday around 5 p.m. At least two ambulances responded to the art gallery grounds.
Chris Shaw, 61, was the first medic to respond to the woman in question. He reportedly found the woman in a tent bordering Howe Street without a pulse.
Shaw, a former Army medic, along with two other Occupy medics performed CPR for 10 minutes while they awaited the arrival of an ambulance.
Shaw said he didn't know if it was an overdose or not, but they don't know how long she was unresponsive because the woman had been in the tent alone.
Police and rescue officials are also unsure of the cause of death.
"We don't know if it's an overdose," Roder said.
On Thursday, a man overdosed at the Occupy Vancouver tent city. Someone accompanying the man was able to call for help immediately and he survived.
Shaw said he hopes that this death does not bring condemnation of the Occupy site from the greater public. He said homeless people with substance abuse issues are being given better treatment at the Occupy site than they are in the city's shelters and streets.
The 7 p.m. site General Assembly was cancelled in light of the death of the woman fellow Occupiers reportedly call, "Ashley."
A candlelight vigil was held on Georgia street with roughly 100 people.
Occupiers also had a memorial service on the steps of the Art Gallery where they spoke about the young woman's life and the systemic nature of substance abuse in our society. An informal meeting was held with occupiers discussing whether or not to have Insite Supervised Safe Injections sites on the Occupy site.
VPD officers as well as the Forensic Identification Squad are processing the scene, which is currently closed with police barriers.
More to come…
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Woman+dies+Occupy+Vancouver+site/5664471/story.html#ixzz1ctNYNyyB
http://www.vancouversun.com/Woman+dies+Occupy+Vancouver+site/5664471/story.html
Tensions are high at the Occupy Vancouver site after a female, who is believed to be in her 20s, died late Saturday afternoon in what Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services are calling a "medical emergency."
The woman was found unresponsive around 4:30 p.m. and was taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
VFRS spokesman Capt. Gabe Roder confirmed the woman who died was in a tent, but it is unknown whether she was a resident of the tent city.
Witnesses report a chaotic scene outside the Vancouver Art Gallery Saturday around 5 p.m. At least two ambulances responded to the art gallery grounds.
Chris Shaw, 61, was the first medic to respond to the woman in question. He reportedly found the woman in a tent bordering Howe Street without a pulse.
Shaw, a former Army medic, along with two other Occupy medics performed CPR for 10 minutes while they awaited the arrival of an ambulance.
Shaw said he didn't know if it was an overdose or not, but they don't know how long she was unresponsive because the woman had been in the tent alone.
Police and rescue officials are also unsure of the cause of death.
"We don't know if it's an overdose," Roder said.
On Thursday, a man overdosed at the Occupy Vancouver tent city. Someone accompanying the man was able to call for help immediately and he survived.
Shaw said he hopes that this death does not bring condemnation of the Occupy site from the greater public. He said homeless people with substance abuse issues are being given better treatment at the Occupy site than they are in the city's shelters and streets.
The 7 p.m. site General Assembly was cancelled in light of the death of the woman fellow Occupiers reportedly call, "Ashley."
A candlelight vigil was held on Georgia street with roughly 100 people.
Occupiers also had a memorial service on the steps of the Art Gallery where they spoke about the young woman's life and the systemic nature of substance abuse in our society. An informal meeting was held with occupiers discussing whether or not to have Insite Supervised Safe Injections sites on the Occupy site.
VPD officers as well as the Forensic Identification Squad are processing the scene, which is currently closed with police barriers.
More to come…
Read more: http://www.vancouversun.com/Woman+dies+Occupy+Vancouver+site/5664471/story.html#ixzz1ctNYNyyB
http://www.vancouversun.com/Woman+dies+Occupy+Vancouver+site/5664471/story.html