Victoria police officers praise overdose victim's friend after life-saving rescue

Vancouver -

Police in B.C.'s capital are urging drug users never to use alone and to always carry naloxone after an incident in which officers saved an overdose victim's life Friday morning.

The incident happened in the 1500 block of Hillside Avenue in Victoria just before 3:30 a.m., according to a news release from the Victoria Police Department.

Patrol officers were in the area and heard someone calling for help. They located the person next to a friend, who was "unconscious, not breathing and without a pulse" after an opioid overdose, police said.

The officers called B.C. Emergency Health Services, administered naloxone and began CPR, police said.

"The overdose victim’s pulse returned and they began to breathe on their own just as paramedics arrived," VicPD said in its release. "They were transported to hospital for additional treatment."

Police added that they made no arrests, performed no searches and seized no drugs during the incident.

"Our primary duty is to protect people’s lives," police said. "Legislation protects you from possession charges when seeking help during an overdose."

Police praised the victim's friend, saying their calls for help ended up saving the victim's life.