Community left in shock as teen dies by suicide near crowded shopping center
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA: The close-knit community of Wollongong suffered devastating shockwaves after a Year 11 (high school equivalent in the US) student took his own life in broad daylight near a popular local shopping center on Monday, March 27. The incident took place before 11.15 am when emergency services were called to Keira Street, near the Wollongong Central shopping center in the city's CBD over reports a teenage boy had been critically injured.
The teenager, whose identity has been withheld by authorities, was immediately rushed to Wollongong Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries despite the doctor’s relentless efforts. While it was not revealed how exactly the boy killed himself by suicide, it is understood the NSW Coroner will determine the cause of death.
For two hours, the route was blocked off to vehicles and pedestrians as detectives examined the area. After the horrific event, the mall continued to operate normally, albeit the food court was temporarily shuttered in some areas, according to Courier Mail.
READ MORE
'We are deeply saddened by the death'
Following the initial investigation, it was determined that the teenager was a Year 11 student at Wollongong's Smith's Hill selective high school. In the aftermath of the tragedy, students at the school were given access to counseling services. "We are deeply saddened by the death of one of our students and offer our care and condolences to the family and loved ones Additional counselors have been deployed to the school to support the family, students, staff, and the school community through this difficult time. This support will be ongoing,'' a NSW Department of Education spokesperson said, according to Daily Mail.
'We need to surround our young people'
Wollongong Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery also mourned the teen’s death, saying he believe there needed to be more support to protect “the emotional well-being of our young people”. “My sympathies and prayers go out to the family of this young person and I think I express that on behalf of the whole community,” he told Illawarra Mercury. “Such an incident reminds us all of how fragile some young people can be in the circumstances that they confront. We need to surround our young people with as much love and support as we can muster.”
This horrific incident comes days after a 17-year-old New York City girl jumped to her death from the top of a nine-story apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side. The incident happened in January 2023 when the unidentified teenager jumped to her death from the eighth floor of an East 82nd Street apartment building. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The building is just off of Park Avenue and lined with trees down the block.