3rd Avenue Radicals, a group of civic activists that is trying to protect the 3rd Ave. area of Anchorage from total and irreversible decay, says it has on camera evidence of security firm vehicle occupants dumping drug paraphernalia on the ground near the homeless encampment at 3rd Ave. and Ingra Street. The video shows occupants of the vehicle smoking something in manner that appears to be how fentanyl is smoked. It can be seen in this video:
“Video footage of an Allied Universal Security officer illegally parked smoking fentanyl directly in front of a security camera in his company vehicle with a passenger at 1:40am Sunday morning,” the Facebook page 3rd Avenue Radicals posted. “In the second clip (see comments) at 1:49am you can see the rear passenger open the door and throw the fentanyl foils all over the ground.”
In that second video, it appears that someone in the back seat of the Allied Universal vehicle opens the door and dumps some foil on the ground.
“Additional footage (not posted) shows the vehicle return around 3:30am, engage in questionable activity with other people and vehicles, then proceed into the camp with a package and not return for nearly 90 minutes,” the Facebook group reported. “We attempted to report this activity to the Allied Universal call operator, but they hung up on us.”
A photo posted beneath the video showed what appears to be an up-close image of smashed foil on a street that the group says is the evidence of what they say happening on video. Anchorage police were called, took photos of the foil, took a statement from observers, and opened a case, said Rob Cupples, of 3rd Avenue Radicals, which describes itself as a “benevolent insurgency of neighbors creating positive change along East Third Avenue.”
“This is one of the companies the Muni has contracted with to maintain security and safety at buildings including City Hall and the Loussac Library. Talk about the fox guarding the hen house,” the group said.
Fentanyl use is an extremely potent and dangerous drug. Even a tiny amount can induce life-threatening effects. Because it is used as an adulterant in other drugs like heroin, users may be unaware they are ingesting it. Fentanyl depresses the nervous system and can rapidly lead to an overdose, respiratory arrest, and death, especially when mixed with other drugs.
Alaska had a reported 146 fentanyl overdose deaths in 2020 and 253 in 2021. According to the Department of Health and Social Services, fentanyl accounted for 49% of all drug overdoses in Alaska in 2020.
Cupples, of 3rd Ave. Radicals, has been giving updates regularly on Facebook about the deteriorating conditions at the encampment, which is similar to those camps of mainly drug and alcohol addicts now found in every major city in America, as well as many medium-sized cities and towns.
Zone abatement notices are now posted on the fence at 3rd and Ingra, dated the Oct. 16, which means the campers need to be out by the Oct. 26th, 10 days after the date on the notice.
