Prince Reportedly Treated for Drug Overdose Just Days Before Death

Prince Reportedly Treated for Drug Overdose Just Days Before Death
Prince speaks onstage at the 42nd NAACP Image Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, Calif., on March 4, 2011. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images for NAACP Image Awards)
Jack Phillips
4/22/2016
Updated:
4/24/2016

A day after it was reported that legendary musician Prince had died, reports have emerged Friday saying that he may have been treated for a drug overdose just days before his death.

TMZ, which initially broke the story on Prince’s death at his Minneapolis mansion, said that its sources said he was treated for a drug overdose.

Prince’s publicist previously said that his plane made an emergency landing in his jet in an attempt to rush to the hospital because of the flu.

But TMZ’s sources in Moline, Illinois, where he landed the jet, said that Prince was given a “save shot” that is usually administered to “counteract the effects of an opiate.”

TMZ on Friday then reported that percocet, a common painkiller, triggered an overdose.

“We’re told Prince was taking painkillers for a hip problem. We’re told he had corrective surgery for his hips around 2010,” TMZ wrote, adding that he went to “his local Walgreens” four times per week “leading up to his death.”

Doctors said Prince to stay in hospital care for 24 hours. However, according to the report, the singer and his crew left when he couldn’t go to a private room. He left after three hours.

No official autopsy information or cause of death was been released. An autopsy on his body is scheduled for Friday, CNN reported. The Carver County, Minnesota, examiner’s office said it “will not release information until the exam is complete and all results are obtained.”

Reports said that officials found Prince unresponsive in an elevator when they arrived on Thursday morning in response to a 911 call. They tried CPR but were unable to revive him.

A 911 call on Prince’s death was also made, and it was released by the Carver County Sheriff’s Office, according to Variety:

Dispatcher: 911, where is your emergency?

Unidentified male: Hi there, um, what’s the address here? Yeah we need an ambulance right now.

D: Okay.

UM: We have someone who is unconscious.

D: Okay, what’s the address?

UM: Um, we’re at Prince’s house.

D: Okay, does anybody know the address? Is there any mail around that you could look at?

UM: Yeah, yeah, okay, hold on.

D: Okay, your cell phone’s not going to tell me where you’re at, so I need you to find me an address.

UM: Yeah, we have um, yeah, we have um, so yeah, um, the person is dead here.

D: Okay, get me the address please.

UM: Okay, okay, I’m working on it.

D: Concentrate on that.

UM: And the people are just distraught.

D: I understand that they are distraught, but…

UM: I’m working on it, I’m working on it.

D: Okay, do we know how the person died?

UM: I don’t know, I don’t know.

D: Okay.


UM: Um, so we’re, we’re in Minneapolis, Minnesota and we are at the home of Prince.

D: You’re in Minneapolis?

UM: Yeah, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

D: You’re sure you are in Minneapolis?

UM: That’s correct.

D: Okay, have you found an address yet?

UM: Yeah, um, I’m so sorry I need, I need the address here?

Unidentified female: 7801

UM: 7801

D: 7801 what?

UM: Paisley Park, we are at Paisley Park.

D: You’re at Paisley Park, okay, that’s in Chanhassen. Are you with the person who’s…

UM: Yes, it’s Prince.

D: Okay.

UM: The person.

D: Okay, stay on the line with me.

UM: Okay.

(Phone ringing)

Ambulance dispatcher: Ambulance, Shirley.

D: Carver with the transfer for Paisley Park Studios, 78.

AD: Paisley Park Studios, okay.

D: 7801 Audubon Road.

AD: Okay.

D: We have a person down, not breathing.

AD: Down, not breathing.

D: Yup.

UM: He’s, he’s…

D: We’re going to get everybody, go ahead with the transmittal.

 

Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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