Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook sees the effects of the fentanyl drug epidemic first-hand.
That's why the East Ave. and Hess Ave. Neighborhood Crime Watch invited him to share what he's seeing on our streets.

"He's just as concerned as we are about the community where there's drug use on a higher level. It's impacting every aspect of life in the neighborhoods and it's also hurting the city." Father Jerry Priscaro with neighborhood crime watch said.

Cook spoke about the potency of fentanyl and how deadly it is, and while solutions are hard to find, providing information is the next best thing.

"There's not much we can do, unfortunately, I wish I could stop it, and I can't. I don't know how to go about doing that. That would have to come from somewhere else, but at least the individuals have the truth," Erie County Coroner Lyell Cook said.

Cook says, unfortunately, fentanyl isn't going away, in fact, it's only growing nationwide and here in Erie.

"Ten years ago, you never heard the word fentanyl, and last year 90 percent of 122 deaths, were due to fentanyl in Erie county. . . It's changed so much over the years," Cook said.