2 Die After San Diego Man Jumps off Building and Lands on Woman Below
Two people died on Sunday after a suicidal man jumped off a building in San Diego, California, and landed on top of a woman.
The San Diego Police Department said the 29-year-old woman, identified as Taylor Kahle, was only walking home with a friend after eating dinner in the city's downtown when she was struck, the Washington Examiner reported.
Police Sgt. Dave Yu said the incident happened at J. Street and Tenth Avenue near Petco park at around 7:30 p.m., The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.
Yu noted that Taylor Kahle was pronounced dead at the scene, while the man, who was walking with her, was not harmed.
He also said that the man who jumped off a parking structure was taken to a hospital but was later pronounced dead.
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Woman Dies After San Diego Man Lands on Her
NBC San Diego reported that Taylor Kahle was about to celebrate her 30th birthday this weekend.
Police said Kahle had just had pizza across the street with her date, who was walking beside her when the incident occurred. Authorities noted that Kahle and the San Diego suicidal man did not know each other.
Investigators have yet to confirm from which level of the parking structure the man was when he jumped. The name of the San Diego suicidal man and age were not released.
"It's hard to believe that something so senseless could take an innocent person," Dean Williams, a co-worker of Taylor Kahle at McFarlane Promotions in the Gaslamp, told NBC 7.
San Diego Police Department officer John Buttle described the incident as an "unfortunate occurrence." A makeshift memorial was arranged in the Gaslamp Quarter, where the tragic incident occurred.
"The photo we put up for her with a smile - that's the one thing she always had, always, no matter what," said Williams, who described the incident as "a triple tragedy."
Meanwhile, Kahle's father was devastated yet grateful for the year during the pandemic because her daughter lived with him.
Suicides in California
Aside from rocky coastlines and breathtaking forests, California carries another reputation: suicides. Cal Matters noted that the pressures of the pandemic, racial tensions, mega-fires, and economic downturn are amplifying the said issue.
"We are very concerned about the layering of multiple stresses on the people of California," said Assistant Deputy Director Jim Kooler. Kooler is associated with California's Department of Health Care Services.
COVID-19 was identified to bring a "raft of intense" new stressors while removing many of the resources people have used to cope with the stress.
"Suicide is preventable," said Mark Reger, Ph.D., adding that coming up with safety plans appropriate for the pandemic and advocating for improved mental health services could mitigate the risk.
California has a National Suicide Prevention Lifeline that offers support for people in distress. Call 1-800-273-8255 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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