Princeton Police confirm cause of Spring Street garage death

Police sources have confirmed that a Princeton man who jumped from the roof of the Spring Street Garage and died early yesterday morning committed suicide. No suicide note was left at the scene of the man’s home, but videos from the garage show that the man was alone.

“We know based on video that he entered the garage alone,” a law enforcement source said. “He researched suicide and has been having some mental health issues lately. Based on those facts and where his car was found on the roof, an accident was ruled out.”

The police source said the man had to climb up a wall to jump. He left personal belongings behind before he jumped and landed in the street.

Police this morning said they were not releasing the name of the man at his family’s request. A spokesman told reporters they could file a public records request for the information. But police, under pressure from the Princeton Packet to release the name, said they would be releasing the name this afternoon. Planet Princeton has decided to honor the family’s request not to name him (see editor’s note below).

The 23-year-old was a 2009 graduate of Princeton High School and recently moved back to Princeton after college. Police discovered his body on Spring Street at about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday morning during a routine patrol. Lifesaving measures were attempted by patrols and the Princeton First Aid and Rescue Squad was summoned to the scene. Continued efforts to revive the man were unsuccessful.

Editor’s Note: Covering a suicide is always a sensitive issue. Planet Princeton does not cover suicides that take place in private homes. When a suicide happens in a public place, we report on it. In this case the family has asked that the man’s name not be released. We know the identity of the man but we are honoring the family’s wishes during this difficult time for them. It is unclear what journalistic purpose it would serve to name the man. Yet not discussing suicide at all is not the answer. Given all the suicides in our area over the last year, we feel the community needs to have a public forum and other programs about suicide, suicide prevention and mental health. If you would like to participate in organizing such a forum, please email krystal@planetprinceton. Thank you.

5 Comments

  1. Properly reported. The name of the deceased is not part of this story, it is part of his story, which he chose not to tell.

  2. Well done. Glad to know there are still people who believe in the right to privacy.

  3. Thank you for reporting this with compassion – retaining the family’s privacy during this tragic time while also providing important information to the public. As a childhood friend of this young man, I’m deeply saddened to hear of this – my thoughts are with his friends and family.

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