TEEN'S BLOOD POSITIVE FOR DRUG

Toxicology reports indicate Christopher Arrion Burgess had
methamphetamine in his blood.

Burgess, 16, of Eureka, was shot at about 2 p.m. Oct. 23 in a gulch
behind the 2200 block of Chester by Eureka police Officer Terry Liles.

The toxicology reports were released to the Humboldt County Coroner's
Office at about 11:15 a.m. Friday, Coroner Frank Jager said.

EPD Chief Dave Douglas said the blood taken for the toxicology
testing -- done at a laboratory in Fresno -- was drawn while Burgess
was at St. Joseph Hospital, just after the shooting.

Friday's toxicology report results included testing for about 180
different prescription and illegal drugs -- including
anti-depressants, heroin and cocaine -- and alcohol, Jager said.

No other drugs, nor alcohol, were found in Burgess' system, Jager said.

As Burgess' blood came back positive for methamphetamine, Jager said
a marijuana test was requested, as marijuana was not included in
those drugs previously tested for.

The results of the marijuana test should be released next week, Jager said.

There were puncture marks on Burgess' right arm that were indicative
of needle use, he said.

"On his left arm, the hospital had (used needles) for IVs, (etc.),"
Jager said. "But, there were some of what we thought were needle
puncture marks on his right arm.

"The (forensic pathologist) in Redding -- (where the autopsy was
performed Oct. 25) -- will probably comment on that in her autopsy
report. The (formal autopsy) report will come out, I'm hoping, next
week sometime."

"But, at this point," Jager continued, "I can't say how (Burgess)
ingested (the methamphetamine); I do not know. The forensic
pathologist should cover all of that. She did a pretty detailed
examination of the body."

At about 3 p.m. Friday, Douglas held a news conference to not only
announce the toxicology results, but to also make two pleas to the public.

On either side of Douglas stood Jager and Eureka City Councilmember
Mary Beth Wolford, Ward 1.

All three made statements that methamphetamine can cause a user to
experience irrational, spontaneous and/or paranoid behavior. Douglas
would like to hear from anyone who knows how Burgess acquired the
methamphetamine. He said they should phone the Humboldt County Drug Task Force.

Douglas said the use of methamphetamine in the community is a
"scourge." Community residents who are concerned about the shooting,
he said, should also be concerned about how Burgess acquired the
methamphetamine.

"You want to do something positive, do that," Douglas said. "Don't
make excuses (as to why not to)."

His other plea was for help in the more than weeklong search for
three possible witnesses in the Burgess case: [Name redacted], 60, of
Eureka, and [Name redacted] and [Name redacted].

Douglas said the [Name redacted]' names may not be their correct names.

"We need to talk to these people," Douglas said. "It's time for these
people to come forward and it's time for people who may know (the
three people) to come forward and let (investigators) know where they are."

Burgess was shot not long after Humboldt County Probation officers
radioed EPD for backup just before 2 p.m. Oct. 23, Douglas said.

The probation officers, Douglas said, had tried to arrest Burgess on
a probation violation while at a residence in the 3300 block of Dolbeer.

Inside the Dolbeer house, Burgess allegedly threatened probation
officers with a knife -- about 10 inches long from the tip of the
knife to the bottom of the handle -- and was pepper-sprayed, Douglas said.

When backed outside, Douglas said, Burgess threatened the probation
officers again. Burgess was pepper-sprayed again, Douglas said.

Burgess then took off running, turning around once to threaten the
probation officers again, Douglas said.

In the meantime, Douglas said, the probation officers radioed in for
assistance.

When the EPD was called for backup, Douglas has said, it was not made
known Burgess' name or age, only that the suspect was a "he," was
armed with a knife and was 6 feet tall and 180 pounds.

Probation officers lost sight of Burgess near a gulch behind the 2200
block of Chester, Douglas said, where EPD Officer Terry Liles --
first of the backup to arrive -- eventually found him.

Liles called out to Burgess to surrender and to drop the knife,
Douglas said, but Burgess did not.

At one point, Douglas said Burgess told the officer, "I don't want to
go," and moved toward Liles as if he were going to stab him.

Liles then fired his .40-caliber handgun at Burgess three times, Douglas said.

Burgess' family members and friends have maintained that Burgess
never threatened the officer, nor did he have the knife when he was shot.

An autopsy determined Burgess was shot twice -- once in the hip and
once in the chest -- said Humboldt County Coroner Frank Jager.

The cause of death, Jager said, was "a penetrating bullet through the heart."

Douglas said methamphetamine may have played a part, or was a major
reason why Burgess did not comply with the officer's order.

Burgess' mother, Margorie Burgess, said although her son may have
been under the influence, he still should have not been shot.

"I don't feel (his being under the influence) makes any type of a
difference of his age or how he felt," Margorie said. "It probably
amplified how he felt -- of being in fear of the people who were chasing him."

As of Friday, Douglas said the multiagency Humboldt County Critical
Incident Response Team was continuing its investigation.

And, Douglas added, he will continue to release information when it's released.

The three possible witnesses or those who know of their whereabouts
have been asked by authorities to phone Humboldt County District
Attorney Investigator Mike Losey at 707-445-7411.

To report the person(s) who gave Burgess methamphetamine, phone the
HCDTF at 707-444-8095.

Coroner said Burgess had high levels of methamphetamine in blood

The amount of methamphetamine in Christopher Burgess' blood was
listed at 0.08 milligrams per liter of blood -- relatively high,
according to Humboldt County Coroner Frank Jager.

He said 0.01 to 0.05 milligrams of methamphetamine per liter of blood
is considered at a level where a person under the influence would "be
definitely affected or feeling the effects of the drug."

"And he was at a level of 0.08 milligrams (of methamphetamine) per
liter (of blood)," Jager said. "So, he was even above the effective levels."

Jager said the high levels of methamphetamine noted in the toxicology
report is not unusual for that, hypothetically, of "a 16-year-old boy
who just started using methamphetamine" or hadn't previously used it.

"(That level) would affect, differently, someone younger who had just
started using methamphetamine," Jager said, "than that of an adult
who has used methamphetamine for a long period of time.

"(However), I don't know how long (Burgess) had been using
methamphetamine or if this was a new or old (habit)," Jager said.

Burgess' mother, Margorie Burgess, said she was aware her son had
"tried it and had done it once in awhile."

Margorie said Burgess' experiences with methamphetamine were "how he
went through the regional center once or twice."

That is why she would phone Burgess' probation officer, Margorie
said, to make them aware of the problem.

"And they didn't do anything on it, but on their own time," Margorie
said, "like when he would run away to breathe and be free."

Eureka City Councilmember Mary Beth Wolford, Ward 1, said her ward
covers the west side of Eureka, which has "a lot of drug problems."

"(Methamphetamine) is a really horrifying and very violent drug,"
Wolford said, "and (when under the influence,) people feel supercharged.

"It's a very, very potent drug and can cause a very violent reaction
(when ingested). It's deadly and can make a person feel they have
superhuman strength and power."

Included in methamphetamine's ingredients -- which can commonly be
bought over the counter -- are charcoal fluid and lye.

"These ingredients, ingested solely on their own, could kill
someone," Wolford said.

Wolford, who said one of her main goals is to educate the community,
along with its children, added that methamphetamine affects the same
portion of the brain that stimulates pleasure.

"They just don't know what they're doing (when under the influence),"
Wolford said.

"This year looks to be the second-highest year for drug overdoses," Jager said.

"A couple of years ago we had a record number of deaths in Humboldt
County (caused by overdoses)," Jager said. "(And,) that was 50.

"We are probably headed for the second highest this year."

Jager said most drug overdoses fall into three categories, being
heroin, prescription drugs and methamphetamine. However,
methamphetamine overdoses are lower in numbers than the other two categories.

This year, Jager said, there have already been eight to nine
overdoses from methamphetamine.

To date, Jager added, overdose deaths are "up to 38, with a couple of
months left to go."

Toxic amounts of methamphetamine can affect a user's respiratory
system and heart.