A Potential Suicide Averted Near Duck Lake
(Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, June 7, 2014)
FROM DAY SHIFT: 05-29-14 (Editor’s Note: While this incident was over a week ago, we’re reporting it as part of our commitment to understanding and reporting suicides in Oakland County, and the prevention of them)
INCIDENT: 13:32 hrs. – Highland Township- Shots Fired Call #14-080241
SUMMARY: Deputies responded to a man with a gun call behind the Rite Aid in the area of M-59 and Duck Lake Road.
OUTCOME OF INCIDENT: Information is the subject was waving a gun around and walked down a path behind the store into Duck Lake Pines Park towards Duck Lake. Shots were heard coming from that area. Deputies responded to the park and located the subject who was very distraught. Per the sergeant on scene the subject voluntary surrendered the weapon by placing the weapon on the ground where it was secured by deputies. The subject stated he was going to hang himself and that he never had any intention of shooting himself or anyone else. The subject did admit to firing rounds into the lake. Deputies were able to secure the subject and called his family and informed them to meet them at Huron Valley Hospital where their son was being transported to for a psychiatric evaluation. The weapon (.38 caliber revolver) was secured and found to have three rounds in the weapon and three more in the subject’s pocket. The weapon was registered to the subject’s father and was submitted to the Crime Lab for testing. A suicide note was located at the responsible residence and turned over to detectives. Investigation continues.
VICTIM, SUSPECT or ARRESTEE INFORMATION: (Responsible): 22 year old male resident of Highland Township.
NOTE: Police Reports come directly from the Police Department or agency involved and are written by the person or agency listed below the title. We generally run these “as is” or with minimal editing for punctuation, spelling, etc. Suspects should not be presumed guilty. Those needing more information about a case are encouraged to follow up with the reporting agency or court system for the most current information.
To join in the conversation, visit The Oakland County 115 News Hub’s Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/oc115.
SUICIDE PREVENTION:
“Suicide is a major public health issue, but it is preventable,” said George Miller, Director of Oakland County Department of Health and Human Services in a previous article. “It is important for everyone to recognize the warning signs and risk factors for suicide to prevent the loss of lives.”
Warning Signs:
~Talking about, or making plans to die
~Talking about “ending the pain”
~Persistently feeling sad, lonely or “empty”
~Insomnia or excessive sleeping
~Social isolation and withdrawal
~Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
Risk Factors:
~Previous suicide attempt(s)
~Depression or other mental illness
~Substance use
~Family history of suicide
~Physical illness and /or chronic pain
If you or someone you know is in crisis, do not leave the person alone and do not isolate yourself. Call your doctor, 911, go to a hospital emergency room for immediate help, or ask someone to help you. The phone number for Common Ground’s 24-hour Crisis and Resource Helpline is 800-231-1127 and is available 24 hours a day.
Additional Resources:
Common Ground – www.commongroundhelps.org
Oakland County Community Mental Health – www.occmha.org
Easter Seals – www.mi.easterseals.com
Suicide Prevention Resource Center – www.sprc.org
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration – www.samhsa.gov
National Alliance on Mental Illness – www.name.org