Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum wants people to remain vigilant when it comes to drug overdoses. The chief spoke with reporters Friday following three deaths in the past few weeks believed to be related to overdoses.
So far in 2025, drug overdoses have killed seven people in Sioux Falls, with an 8th suspected case awaiting toxicology tests.
At this time last year the city had ten deaths linked to drug overdoses. Emily’s Hope founder Angela Kennecke looks at the drop in deaths so far, as a small victory.
“Overdose deaths actually decreased by 20 percent. I think that is a good thing. However, of course, the eight tragic deaths and how those have impacted families and friends, that’s awful. And I want to see no deaths at all, but to have the numbers going down, I think that’s fantastic,” said Kennecke.
Kennecke’s nonprofit, Emily’s Hope, has distributed more than ten thousand doses of Naloxone, also called Narcan, statewide in the past year.