California mayor suggests giving free fentanyl to 'purge' homeless population

I want to give them all the fentanyl they want

That's what Lancaster, California Mayor R. Rex Paris said in February on camera

when asked about his city's homelessness problem. The comment made first in a city council meeting sparked outrage nationwide

after Paris repeated it during a Fox 11 interview and he doubled down

I wish the president would give us a purge because we do need to purge these people

Paris claims he was referring to what he called a criminal element

within the homeless population. He accused them of committing robberies, rapes, even murders

but provided no evidence. Lancaster, a city of 175,000 in northern Los Angeles County

has seen a sharp rise in unhoused residents. Last year's homeless count in the Antelope Valley

totaled more than 6,600, nearly 2,000 more than the year before. Paris claims Lancaster offers

one of the country's most advanced homeless centers, including shelter, mental health

and drug treatment services But he says some people refuse help There is nothing that we can do for these people They you know Lancaster has the most innovative homeless solutions of any city in

America. We're very proud of it. We can take care of a lot of people, but I'm talking about the

people that refuse those services, the people that want to camp near your home so that they can

burglarize them at night. His comments sparked a recall effort led by former political rivals

but so far that campaign has not collected enough signatures. The city clerk's office is now suing

the organizers, alleging inaccuracies in their petition. Paris has been mayor since 2008. He's

known for making headlines like proposing a trade office in Beijing or trying to ban neckties at

city hall. Despite the backlash, Paris has knocked back down saying he does not regret his words

and believes most residents still stand with him. For more unbiased updates, download the Straight Arrow News app or go to san.com