Actor Michael K. Williams died of an accidental overdose involving the synthetic opioids fentanyl and p-fluorofentanyl, the New York City medical examiner’s office said Friday.
Michael K. Williams died of an accidental overdose that included fentanyl and cocaine
Williams, whose work on HBO’s “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire” was widely praised, died Sept. 6 at age 54. He had been open about his struggles with drug use.
The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Williams had cocaine and heroin, as well as synthetic opioids, in his system. Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin, although some heroin users seek it out for precisely that reason.
A brief statement from the medical examiner’s office read, “Cause of death: acute intoxication from the combined effects of fentanyl, p-fluorofentanyl, heroin and cocaine. Manner of death: accident.”
Fentanyl and opioids have been blamed for the record number of overdose deaths in the United States last year: more than 93,000.
Williams, a five-time Emmy Award nominee, talked about his problems with drug use and cleanliness in a 2012 interview with Inside Jersey magazine . “‘Why me, why did I get saved?’ I should have been dead,” he said.
Williams, whose work on HBO’s “The Wire” and “Boardwalk Empire” was widely praised, died Sept. 6 at age 54. He had been open about his struggles with drug use.
The New York City Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Williams had cocaine and heroin, as well as synthetic opioids, in his system. Fentanyl can be 50 times more potent than heroin, although some heroin users seek it out for precisely that reason.
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