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Autopsy report says NAU football player died of opioid overdose

NAU offensive lineman Malik Noshi (65) in a game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Tucson, Ariz. A friend discovered the 22-year-old senior offensive lineman unconscious in his Flagstaff home in early July. Emergency responders pronounced him dead. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

NAU offensive lineman Malik Noshi (65) in a game against Arizona, Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, in Tucson, Ariz. A friend discovered the 22-year-old senior offensive lineman unconscious in his Flagstaff home in early July. Emergency responders pronounced him dead. (Rick Scuteri/AP)

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Medical examiners say a Northern Arizona University football player died of an opioid overdose.

Authorities found Malik Noshi unresponsive in his Flagstaff home on July 7.

An autopsy report released Tuesday listed the cause of death as acute fentanyl intoxication and manner as accidental. It also said Noshi recently used cocaine and had been drinking alcohol.

Flagstaff police Sgt. Charles Hernandez says police are trying to determine how Noshi got the drugs and whether he knew pills he took contained fentanyl.

Hernandez says there's no indication of physical violence of foul play in Noshi's death.

The 22-year-old Noshi from Las Vegas began as a redshirt for the Lumberjacks in 2015. Last year, he started nine games and earned an honorable mention from the Big Sky Conference.


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