Skip to content

Woman died of drug overdose at Occupy Vancouver

The BC Coroners Service says the death of a 23-year-old woman in a tent at Occupy Vancouver was caused by a mixed drug overdose.

VANCOUVER — The BC Coroners Service says the death of a 23-year-old woman in a tent at Occupy Vancouver was caused by a mixed drug overdose.

Coroner Owen Court says toxicology testing shows Ashlie Gough had both cocaine and heroin in her system.

He says the Victoria woman likely died some hours before she was found unresponsive about 4:40 p.m. on Nov. 5 in a tent in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery, where the city’s Occupy movement is set up.

Gough’s death has in part prompted city officials to declare the encampment a life safety risk, and lawyers will be in court on Wednesday asking a judge to grant an injunction for its removal.

Vancouver police were on hand yesterday while firefighters and city staff moved into the protest site and made changes so structures complied with the fire code.

Police Chief Jim Chu says he continues to want the encampment to end peacefully and believes using a court order to do so will reduce the potential for violence or spillover protests.