A New York police officer reportedly killed himself on Friday, June 15. The officer, who is currently unidentified, is the third officer to have died by suspected suicide over the past nine days, according to local reports.
The deceased officer is a 29-year-old man who had been with the department for six years, police said.
The off-duty officer who found him called 911 immediately.
Following the third reported suicide death, NYPD Commissioner James O'Neill told NBC New York the situation was “a mental health crisis.”
“Before we can help the people we serve, it is imperative that we first help ourselves,” O'Neill’s statement read, according to the news outlet. “There is no shame in seeking assistance from the many resources available, both inside and outside the department.
Two NYPD Suicides Last Week: Reports
Just last week, two NYPD officers reportedly committed suicide within 24 hours.Joe Calabrese, 58, died on June 6. The veteran New York City Police Department detective’s body was found near bushes in Plumb Beach, Brooklyn.
“I am shocked and shattered beyond belief,” said Michael Palladino, president of the Detectives Endowment Association. “Joseph Calabrese was a dedicated detective, union official, husband and father. He was the salt of the earth,” he said.
Calabrese was last heard from at around 2 a.m. after leaving Maimonides Medical Center in Borough Park. His wife had undergone a medical procedure, the New York Post reported.
He had been with the department for 37 years.
He was taken to Elmhurst Hospital, but he couldn’t be revived, according to the report.
Silks had served the police department for nearly 39 years, and was just weeks away from mandatory retirement.
“He was a one-of-a-kind, well-accomplished individual & an amazing storyteller. Steve will be missed by so many throughout the NYPD & NYC.”
“I am speechless,” Roy Richter, who is head of the Captains Endowment Association, told the New York Daily News. “Steve was an incredibly dedicated and great guy. He was great at what he does. This is a terrible loss.”
NYPD Commissioner O'Neill last week urged cops to seek help.