Metro Suicides Spike; Prevention Efforts Stalled

Nine people attempted suicide last year by jumping in front of Metro trains; only two survived. The Washington Examiner reports that two more have been struck since the beginning of the new year.

The number of suicides is alarming in light of WMATA's stalled efforts to prevent them. A plan to post suicide hotline numbers inside stations has not been implemented yet. According to the article, WMATA "was given" a $70,000 study from the American Association of Suicidology, but declined to release the findings of the report to the press because "it contained sensitive information that would need to be redacted."

WMATA also refused to release information to Patch on a in October. He died from his injuries in a local hospital. The suicide attempt caused severe rush hour delays and trapped passengers inside train cars with no electricity for more than one hour.

The Virginia Department of Health refused to release the 39-year-old man's autopsy report or official cause of death.