NCJ Number
225615
Journal
Journal of Forensic Sciences Volume: 53 Issue: 6 Dated: November 2008 Pages: 1455-1457
Date Published
November 2008
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article profiles two cases in which police officers committed suicide by creating scenarios in which other officers were compelled to shoot them for their own protection (“suicide by cop“).
Abstract
An examination of the closed case files showed that the two officers were demographically similar in many respects to civilians who have committed suicide by cop; they were males with a history of mental illness and attempted suicide. The features of the suicide incident were also similar to civilian suicides by cop. Each incident lasted approximately 17 minutes from start to finish, and both men were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of their suicides. In addition, both men apparently had social support networks, including friends and/or family. Like civilian cases, both men had weapons on them at the time of the incident. Although both men had major stress in their lives (hopelessness and anger about a financial situation, as well as physical and psychological decline stemming from an injury), at issue is why they chose suicide by cop as their suicide method. The authors of this article support the explanation that having a third party cause one’s death avoids the moral taboo and possible insurance complications of suicide at one’s own hand. 1 table and 13 references