Mount Vernon officials report 'troubling rise' in suicides
Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers shared details about the timeline of the alarming increase in suicide cases.
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Officials in Mount Vernon held a press conference at City Hall on Thursday to talk about a troubling rise in suicide cases in the city.
At the press conference, Mayor Shawyn Patterson-Howard said it's time to have real conversations about mental health in Mount Vernon.
"We've gone from talking about killing each other to the fact that we're killing ourselves," Patterson-Howard said.
Mount Vernon Police Chief Marcel Olifiers shared details about the timeline of the alarming increase in suicide cases.
"In the course of a 72-hour period, the City of Mount Vernon experienced a heartbreaking series of events where we had two suicides and where we had an uptick in domestic violence and child abuse," Olifiers said.
The mayor said the people who died were men.
"We have an older elderly veteran who took their life. We have a young African American male in their 30s," Patterson-Howard said.
Police said they are investigating another incident where a man in his 20s tried to take his life during a shooting on North Third Avenue this week.
As families try to heal, officials said there are several resources available in the community to help people who are struggling.
"It's the Wellness Division, and we're located at an offsite, wellness precinct," Deputy Police Commissioner Jennifer Lackard said.
Angela Jacobs, from St. Vincent's Hospital, said the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 as well.
"So, you can call this line on behalf of yourself, a friend, a family member," Jacobs said.
