On July 10, 2025, Baltimore Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a mass overdose event in the Penn North neighborhood of West Baltimore. Initial reports indicated at least 15 people were hospitalized, with five in critical condition. The number of hospitalized victims rose to 27 by the following day, including seven in critical condition and 15 in serious condition. Authorities treated the area as a crime scene and distributed Narcan to counteract overdoses. The Drug Enforcement Administration is collaborating with Baltimore Police to investigate the source of the suspected "bad batch" of street drugs believed to have caused the overdoses. Federal scientists from the National Institute of Standards and Technology later identified the substances involved as a combination of fentanyl and a sedative. City officials continue to investigate the extent of the drug's reach in the community. In the aftermath, Baltimore Police conducted raids on an open-air drug market near the overdose site, resulting in five arrests on narcotics charges, though these arrests have not been directly linked to the mass overdose incident. The event led to the highest number of overdose-related 911 calls in Baltimore for the year, underscoring concerns over dangerous new street drugs circulating in the area.