Metro hoping to curb suicide attempts

WASHINGTON - It's a sad issue that has Metro looking for answers - suicides. WTOP reported that Metro is experiencing a rash of suicides on the transit system this year. At least nine people have attempted to kill themselves on the system, seven of them resulting in deaths.

The most recent incident came Thursday afternoon, when a 15-year-old boy from Bell Multicultural High School intentionally jumped on the tracks at the Columbia Heights Metro Station. The boy was killed.

After reviewing a video showing the moments before the incident, Metro Board Chairman Jim Graham declared that the death was a suicide.

"There is video showing the young man acted in a calculated and deliberate manner over several minutes," said Graham.

In 2008, Metro reports there were five incidents, two of them fatal. And in 2007, there were six incidents, two of them fatal.

Now, WTOP is learning how the transit agency is trying to prevent suicides. Metro is partnering with the suicide prevention organization CrisisLink to find solutions.

"We are aware of the suicides that have taken place on Metro and want to do something," Marshall Ellis, Director of Development at CrisisLink, tells WTOP. "We are working to come up with what we hope to be a three-pronged approach."

The approach would include an outreach program to educate people on the Metro system who may be suicidal, as well as a training component to teach Metro employees how to spot and talk to a rider who may be suicidal.

"That [potentially suicidal] person could be standing on the platform and letting a number of trains pass by. They could remove some of their external clothing," says Ellis. "And we want to teach employees some of the things they can say to that person to let them know that there is hope and that help is available."

In general, Ellis says calls about suicides have risen dramatically over the past year.

"We have seen a huge increase in the number of people calling our hotlines who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or are in crisis," says Ellis.

In fact, from June 2008 to June 2009, CrisiLink reports a 60 percent increase in the number of suicide calls received.

One potential reason, the struggling economy.

"We are definitely hearing that as a theme throughout a lot of the calls we are taking. People who have lost their jobs or are suddenly unable to care for their families," says Ellis.

When it comes to the issue of suicides on the rails, it isn't limited to Metro.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't just happen here," says Metro Spokesperson Steven Taubenkibel. "It happens at other transit systems across the county, Amtrak, freight railroads. It is something that occurs everywhere."

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicidal behavior, the CrisisLink hotline number is 1-800-273-TALK.

(Copyright 2009 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)