KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — If people stop by the Knox County District Attorney General's Office this week, they may see an empty chair and pictures of several people surrounding it. The chair is part of a program to raise awareness of the dangers of substance misuse and to honor people who died from drug overdoses.
The Knoxville Police Department said the office is working with the Drug Overdose Support Group on the "Empty Chair Campaign." During the campaign, people can share images of loved ones who had a drug-related death to be posted near the chair.
"The empty chair symbolizes the lives that have been lost and will always be missed," the police department said on social media.
Anyone who wants to share an image can send it to Sharon Hajko, a family services advocate with KPD, through email at shajko@knoxvilletn.gov or tracee.smith@knoxcounty.org. Anyone who shares and image should also include the person's name, their birth date, their death date and permission to use the photo. People should also include their own names in the submission.
The District Attorney General's Office said there have been 239 suspect overdose deaths reported so far this year — a significant decrease from this time last year. There were 363 suspected overdose deaths reported around nine months into 2023, according to the District Attorney General's Office.
According to the Drug Overdose Support Group, the chair would be on display until Sept. 28.
