Guy Jumps off Parkade on 6th

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by polak

Well you have to give them credit for turning down potential business. I'm sure some of these high profile suicides would sell papers and clicks.

I honestly thought it was a legal thing but if it's just agreed upon by all of them then that's commendable.

It is voluntary. And it's followed by all mainstream media outlets in the english-speaking world (and I'd guess Europe).

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by polak

Well you have to give them credit for turning down potential business. I'm sure some of these high profile suicides would sell papers and clicks.

I honestly thought it was a legal thing but if it's just agreed upon by all of them then that's commendable.

It is primarily out of respect for the families of the victims. The only time that it is reported is if it is a murder/suicide or if it is impacting the public in some way. That line is difficult - often suicides will impact traffic. So when you hear that traffic is delayed because of a "police incident" that's more often than not - what is going on.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

It is primarily out of respect for the families of the victims. The only time that it is reported is if it is a murder/suicide or if it is impacting the public in some way. That line is difficult - often suicides will impact traffic. So when you hear that traffic is delayed because of a "police incident" that's more often than not - what is going on.

Also, I notice they'll on rare occasion start reporting what they initially think is a weird/important situation only to find out it was suicide, but they've now reported too much to just drop it with no explanation.

Two that come to mind is the suicide in Glenmore park with a knife. They reported as stabbing death in Glenmore during the day with families around, which would obviously startle the whole city and be a huge news story.

The after the report came out, it was ruled suicide, but by then it was so big that they did a smaller, but still significant story the next day dancing around the term suicide but still letting everyone know.

Another one was a couple years ago a guy gruesomely killed himself at a house in the backyard and initially looked like a brutal homicide and a huge news story, then when it was found to be suicide the media went quiet but did do a little "This death is no longer suspicious and police aren't looking for suspects" type of update.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by flameswin

Also, I notice they'll on rare occasion start reporting what they initially think is a weird/important situation only to find out it was suicide, but they've now reported too much to just drop it with no explanation.

Two that come to mind is the suicide in Glenmore park with a knife. They reported as stabbing death in Glenmore during the day with families around, which would obviously startle the whole city and be a huge news story.

The after the report came out, it was ruled suicide, but by then it was so big that they did a smaller, but still significant story the next day dancing around the term suicide but still letting everyone know.

Another one was a couple years ago a guy gruesomely killed himself at a house in the backyard and initially looked like a brutal homicide and a huge news story, then when it was found to be suicide the media went quiet but did do a little "This death is no longer suspicious and police aren't looking for suspects" type of update.

Yup. Another one is the guy who went recently missing and was found "in a tree" about a month ago.

Those are the worst. Because you do feel like the story still needs to be covered particularly if it was a big story with a lot of attention. But they are tough calls.

So exactly, often you will make it a small story, further down the cast (or deeper in the paper) and drop it fairly quickly.

[4X4]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Yup. Another one is the guy who went recently missing and was found "in a tree" about a month ago.

I don't think I heard the outcome of that. He's the kid that was missing for like 6 months, right? Last known location was Southland drive? Missing pictures on every mailbox in the south end? That was suicide?

[swo2k1]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I don't think I heard the outcome of that. He's the kid that was missing for like 6 months, right? Last known location was Southland drive? Missing pictures on every mailbox in the south end? That was suicide?

Yeah that's the one.

[JiriHrdina]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I don't think I heard the outcome of that. He's the kid that was missing for like 6 months, right? Last known location was Southland drive? Missing pictures on every mailbox in the south end? That was suicide?

It was never confirmed to be a suicide, but he was found "in a tree" where he was thought to have been since he went missing.

[Vulcan]

I was crossing the Ironworkers bridge in Vancouver earlier today. The traffic was all backed up for bridge improvements. Looking to the side the passenger walkway outside railing was being rebuilt with about a 10' spiked fence that looked impossible to climb over.

Safety Fence:

• Several safety fence prototypes were fabricated and tested for climbing difficulty.
• Also evaluated were their constructability, cost, aesthetic and strength.
• The safety fence will be a picket style, made of heavy gauge steel bars that are bevelled on top

[T@T]

Originally Posted by polak

And this thread has gotten crazy. Hope I never witness anything like that.

Yeah it sticks with you forever, years ago at a girlfriend's place there was a loud argument between roommates next door and one of them decided to show the other with a swan dive 16 floors up, I didn't see the jump but the silence and after effect on the sidewalk can't be forgotten.

They actually determined it was a suicide and not murder by how far the body was from the building(it had to be a running jump)

Originally Posted by Scrambler

Ughh... this sadly reminds me of one of my last days in Calgary back in the mid 2000's. I was on my balcony on the 32nd floor of Bromley Square (10 ave SW at 1st Street, IIRC).

Drunk one night my cousin flung himself from the 29th floor living room balcony to the bedroom balcony in one swift motion. if you remember Bromleys Squares design on the balconys you'll know why it scared the crap out of me.

[Scrambler]

Originally Posted by T@T

Yeah it sticks with you forever, years ago at a girlfriend's place there was a loud argument between roommates next door and one of them decided to show the other with a swan dive 16 floors up, I didn't see the jump but the silence and after effect on the sidewalk can't be forgotten.

They actually determined it was a suicide and not murder by how far the body was from the building(it had to be a running jump)



Drunk one night my cousin flung himself from the 29th floor living room balcony to the bedroom balcony in one swift motion. if you remember Bromleys Squares design on the balconys you'll know why it scared the crap out of me.

Yes, I do remember that! There is no fricken way I would do that from my 32nd floor balcony.. scary stuff!

Bromley Square had some major major issues in it. I did love that building though: best location in the city, living on the top floor, 2 rooms, pretty cheap, awesome view, living room/kitchen balcony + a balcony in the big bedroom.

[jeffh]

Originally Posted by 4X4

I don't think I heard the outcome of that. He's the kid that was missing for like 6 months, right? Last known location was Southland drive? Missing pictures on every mailbox in the south end? That was suicide?

I was told he hung himself. From the story of being found in a tree, I just thought he froze to death and in a drunken stupor thought a tree would provide enough shelter.

[Mony]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Yup. Another one is the guy who went recently missing and was found "in a tree" about a month ago.

Those are the worst. Because you do feel like the story still needs to be covered particularly if it was a big story with a lot of attention. But they are tough calls.

So exactly, often you will make it a small story, further down the cast (or deeper in the paper) and drop it fairly quickly.

Now that I think about it, that does sound like a suicide. A couple people from my high school knew him and were friends with him.

There was a viral video of him being drunk and he got into a fight with a skater in another town in Alberta. He seemed pretty happy about all the attention the video in particular was getting but if I recall, it actually affected him more than he wanted to let on.

Guy then went to another party where they started playing the video on a big screen and he got punched in the face (I got this from a news article I read when his body was found). Obviously we all know he and his friends decide to leave and he just gets out of the car and goes off on his own, says, "I don't want you to see me like this." Sucks.

[Nandric]

Originally Posted by Fire

Anyone know what happen at the c-train lines near Northland Mall Wednesday night (10pm)? The trains were stopped and a bunch of poilice, ems and fire trucks were at the scene. Had a bad feeling it could be a suicide by train.

Thankfully I can bring some good news to this thread as I was on that c-train. It actually ended up being a c-train maintenance van attempting to turn onto crowchild in front of the train. The driver escaped with no injuries and everybody on the train seemed fine when they brought buses for us a hour later.

[Hockey Fan #751]

A big reason why the media refrains from reporting suicides is because whenever they are reported, the suicide rate goes up.

People who kill themselves are already vulnerable, but publicity around another suicide appears to make a difference as they are considering their options. The evidence suggests that suicide “outbreaks” and “clusters” are real phenomena; one death can set off others. There’s a particularly strong effect from celebrity suicides.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/up...abt=0002&abg=0

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

A big reason why the media refrains from reporting suicides is because whenever they are reported, the suicide rate goes up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/up...abt=0002&abg=0

That was the reason cited in Journalism school.

[chemgear]

Originally Posted by Hockey Fan #751

A big reason why the media refrains from reporting suicides is because whenever they are reported, the suicide rate goes up.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/14/up...abt=0002&abg=0

Interesting. That makes sense in hindsight.

That said, I'd suggest the lack of reporting upon it kinda makes the problem seem less prevalent. Not that it needs to be in your face or sensationalistic, but attitudes could be a lot better from the average Joe if they had reminders about how real and significant they are in numbers.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by chemgear

Interesting. That makes sense in hindsight.

That said, I'd suggest the lack of reporting upon it kinda makes the problem seem less prevalent. Not that it needs to be in your face or sensationalistic, but attitudes could be a lot better from the average Joe if they had reminders about how real and significant they are in numbers.

Yeah it's kind of weird, I figured it was common knowledge that suicide is quite common in our societies.

Then you see threads like this and another recent one where posters express disbelief/shock that this type of thing happens in Calgary at all, let alone quite regularly.

And that's just people who end their lives in a public manner like that, it doesn't include the likely even higher number of bodies that get pulled out of houses after "overdoses", hangings and other "quieter" ways of committing suicide.

[CliffFletcher]

In Canada, suicide is the third highest cause of death for men 25-54.

[CliffFletcher]

nvm

[FlamesAddiction]

I have a friend that works for a volunteer group that when there is a suicide or an attempt, the police notify them and they approach the families for support. She told me that it is not unusual on a normal Friday or Saturday night to have a couple of suicide attempts. That is in a town of 10,000.