Report: Prince Overdosed on Percocet Days Before Death

Prince Close up
Reuters

Update: TMZ reports that Prince had overdosed on the painkiller Percocet during his flight home from Atlanta, which caused his plane to make an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois. The outlet reports that he was taking the drug to manage pain associated with a 2010 hip surgery.

Late pop icon Prince reportedly received drug overdose treatment just six days before his untimely death at age 57 on Thursday, reports TMZ.

Prince’s private plane made an emergency landing in Moline, Illinois on Friday and the singer was rushed to a local hospital. At the time, representatives for Prince said the singer had been battling a severe case of the flu.

But according to a report from TMZ, Prince received a “save shot” at the hospital, medication used to treat opiate overdoses. The singer was reportedly advised to stay in the hospital for 24 hours, but left after just three when his request for a private room was rejected.

The following evening, the singer appeared at a dance party near his Minnesota home, where he showed off a new guitar and piano, but did not sing. Cryptically, the singer told fans to “wait a few days before you waste any prayers.”

Prince was found unresponsive Thursday morning in an elevator at his Paisley Park compound in Minnesota. He was later pronounced dead on the scene.

The Carver County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the circumstances surrounding the pop star’s death, though no signs of foul play have been reported. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed Friday.

Prince — full name Prince Rogers Nelson — was one of the best-selling artists of all time, with more than 100 million records sold.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum

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