'Pawn Stars' Rick Harrison blames border crisis for son's death from fentanyl overdose
Rick Harrison, who is best known for his role in the popular reality TV series “Pawn Stars,” implored Americans to pay attention to the country’s fentanyl crisis and the drugs pouring in through the Southern border following the death of his son.
Harrison’s son, Adam, was 39 at the time of his death and one of his three children — the second son born to Harrison’s first wife, Kim. Adam’s family learned about his death on Friday; however, at the time, the Las Vegas Metro Police Department were still investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.
On Monday, the “Pawn Stars” celebrity confirmed to TMZ in a statement through his representative that his son had died from a fentanyl overdose. Adam was not involved in the show, so details about him are scarce, but TMZ reported that he might have worked in some type of professional trade.
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“The fentanyl crisis in this country must be taken more seriously,” Harrison said. “It seems it is just flowing over the borders, and nothing is being done about it. We must do better.”
In a subsequent statement, the Harrison family told the outlet they were “extremely saddened” by Adam's death and asked for privacy during this immediate time of mourning. On Saturday, Harrison shared a picture on Instagram of himself with his son, writing, “You will always be in my heart! I love you, Adam.”
The fentanyl crisis has been an ongoing issue in the United States, with multiple reports emerging about hundreds of thousands of deaths and recent drug seizures.
As U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Protection reported Tuesday, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents seized 38 pounds of fentanyl pills hidden in the spare tire of a vehicle. The agents made the discovery during a vehicle stop on Jan. 18 on Interstate 5.
According to the report, the pills weighed more than 38 pounds and had an estimated street value of $1,720,000. The report added that during fiscal year 2023, San Diego Sector Border Patrol agents seized 1,802 pounds of methamphetamine, 2,100 pounds of cocaine, 111 pounds of heroin, and 1,285 pounds of fentanyl.
Earlier this month, task force detectives with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office Central Florida worked with federal, state and local law enforcement to arrest 10 individuals involved in two Central Florida drug trafficking rings.
Authorities conducted separate investigations into two drug trafficking rings — the Colon-Colon Drug Trafficking Organization and the Espinoza & Romero Central Florida Drug Trafficking Organization.
According to an announcement by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, officials seized 14 kilograms of cocaine and 3.5 kilograms of bulk fentanyl and fentanyl pills, along with four firearms, a vehicle and $12,985.
In a national survey of 1,000 likely U.S. voters conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC for Rasmussen Reports, 91% of participants said they believe the country's fentanyl issue is serious, with 73% describing it as a "very serious problem."
Seventy-two percent of respondents said the fentanyl problem has worsened over the past two years, 12% think it's the same, and 8% believe the issue has improved. Twenty-nine percent of voters said that they were unsure.
The survey was conducted by phone from Sept. 26 to Sept. 27, with a margin sampling of error of +/- 3 percentage points and a 95% confidence level.
"President Joe Biden's strongest supporters are least likely to think America's fentanyl problem has gotten worse," the report stated. "Among voters who strongly approve of Biden's job performance as president, 48% believe the fentanyl problem has gotten worse in the past two years. By contrast, among those who strongly disapprove of Biden's performance, 88% say America's fentanyl problem has gotten worse since 2020."
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
