By Steve Klamkin WPRO News

Calling drug overdose deaths “a crisis that is plaguing our residents… literally killing people in our streets”, Fall River Mayor Jasiel Corriea II said Friday the city will sue big pharmaceutical companies.

“There is no doubt in my mind that there is a connection between big pharmaceutical companies and the direct result of people in our city dying in our streets because they’re addicted to heroin and other opiates that are being pushed by drug dealers,” said Correia, a Democrat. He was flanked by the city’s legal counsel and lawyers from a Boston law firm.

He said that the law firm Motley Rice, known for litigation against tobacco companies which ended in a national, master settlement in 1998 would pursue as-yet unnamed pharmaceutical makers and distributors in federal courts.

“The City of Fall River responded to 919 opiate overdoses last year, with police and Emergency Medical Services last year,” said Beth Faunce, Deputy Director of the city’s EMS and the head of the Fall River Opioid Task Force.

She said the law suit could help in the city’s fight against overdose deaths, adding “If we can get more treatment facilities and access to beds, that would certainly help.”

Fall River had 63 opioid-related overdose deaths in 2016, the latest full year for which complete figures are available.