Georgia middle-schooler commits suicide after bullying, being called 'snitch,' dad says

4-9-2013 Georgia:

A 13-year-old Georgia boy who hanged himself after reportedly being bullied at school was remembered by family and friends as a hero at his funeral this week.

Devin Brown moved to Columbus, Ga., six months ago to live with his father, who says the bullying began shortly after Devin started at his new middle school, according to NBC affiliate WLTZ-TV in Georgia.

"He got jumped, or somebody beat him up," Ray Brown, Devin's father, told WLTZ. "He came home one time and had some peanut butter pies he had made for school. When he walked through the door he had some pie left, and he had it all over him. Someone had jumped on him and smeared it all over him."

Brown voiced his concerns to Rothschild Middle School, but officials told him they hadn't heard of any issues, he said.

"They just kind of let it go," Brown said.

It wasn't until last Thursday night that Devin's family realized how far the bullying had gone.

"I hear [my stepmother yelling,] 'Oh my God, Ray, Ray, help me! I can't get him down, he hung himself,'" Cara Downs, Devin's older sister, told WLTZ. "I could see the black and blue around his neck and I tried to find a pulse, but couldn't find it."

Brown believes being called a "snitch" at school pushed Devin over the edge. He told WLTZ that the day Devin took his life, he saw another student carrying a knife and threatening a teacher. Brown said Devin told his teacher about the knife; the other student was given disciplinary action.

"He said, 'Everyone is calling me a snitch,'" Brown said. "He said, 'There's about 15-20 people who want to jump on me.'"

Rothschild Middle School Principal Reginald Williamson denied Brown's account of his son's school experiences.

"We have received no information on him being bullying whatsoever," he said. "We log all information as far as bullying is concerned."

He also said there was never any threat to a teacher.

"We did have a knife incident that occurred. It happened before school started. The knife was retrieved," he said. But no threat was ever issued against a teacher during the incident, he said.

Muscogee County School District's director of communications also confirmed the incident.

"It was discovered upon search in the student's locker. And of course any student discipline, while I can't talk about particular student discipline, was handled according to policy," Valerie Fuller said.

At his funeral on Wednesday, a large wooden box with the word "hero" carved on it was set up. Devin's friends dropped notes into it, thanking him for speaking up about the threat he saw at school, reported WLTZ.

"I made this for him because he is my hero. He did the right thing and he knew he did the right thing," Brown told the affiliate.

On Devin's gravestone, the inscription read: "You left too soon, but forever wouldn't have been long enough. Our hero - Devin Brown." ..Source.. by Elizabeth Chuck

Students Say Palmdale Teen Who Committed Suicide Was Bullied Over Love Of Cheerleading

4-17-2013 California:

Classmates of a 13-year-old Palmdale boy who went missing and later committed suicide said he was teased over his love of cheerleading.

Nigel Hardy disappeared Monday morning after he became upset when he was temporarily suspended from Hillview Middle School after fighting with another student.

Hardy’s father found a suicide note from his son and discovered his gun was missing.

The teen was found dead in Kern County Monday night with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Bright Addo, a student at Hillview Middle, said Hardy was often teased and bullied for being on the A.V. Dynasty All-Stars competitive cheerleading squad.

“He was a cheerleader. And they were talking about him and stuff,” he said. “We should stop bullying people and talking stuff about people.”

Addo added, “He was cool. He was a nice guy. He was funny.”

Dustin Velazquez, Hardy’s cheerleading coach, said he wished the teen would have reached out to him.

“I wish I could have helped him more. I wish he could have come to me,” he said.

Velazquez, however, told CBS2’s Amy Johnson that Hardy did talk to him about being bullied.

“He did a couple times. I told him that even myself, in high school, I cheered and people would say, ‘Oh, you’re gay.’ I’m just like, you gotta ignore it,” he said.

Counselors were on campus Wednesday to help students and staff deal with their loss. A special assembly was also held.

“Everyone was crying today,” said Addo.

The students were also given the opportunity to write messages for Hardy’s family. A community-wide vigil is planned for Thursday night.

“We’re heartbroken for the family of Nigel,” said Regina Rossall, the superintendent of the Westside Union School District. “There are no words to explain the loss of life of a 13-year-old.” ..Source.. by CBS Los Angeles

Bailey O'Neill, 12, Dead Weeks After School Bullying

3-4-2013 Pennsylvania:

A 12-year-old boy has died after being placed in a medically induced coma following an alleged bullying incident at his suburban Philadelphia school.

Bailey O'Neill died Sunday, his father confirmed to ABCNews.com. Bailey turned 12 on Saturday. He was taken off life support Sunday morning.

On Jan. 10, Bailey was involved in a fight at Darby Township School in Upper Darby, Pa., west of Philadelphia. The boy was allegedly jumped by two classmates, one of whom hit him in the face several times fracturing his nose, his father Rob O'Neill told ABCNews.com.

"It was an altercation in the schoolyard where kid wanted to fight my son, and my son wanted to walk away," Rob O'Neill said. "One boy pushed Bailey into the kid [who wanted to fight him]. That kid then hit him in the face, then he hit his head on the ground. One pushed him into the kid, then the other kid did the rest of the work."

Bailey was knocked on his head in the incident, his father said, which caused a concussion. From then on, something with the 6th grader wasn't right, his father said.

"He was a perfectly healthy boy before any of this. He was a healthy, funny, goofy boy. There was nothing wrong with him," his dad said.

O'Neill added that Bailey was sent back to class with an icepack after the incident. He said the two boys were briefly suspended from school after the incident.

Soon Bailey, who was living primarily in the custody of his mother Jina, wasn't the same, his dad said.

"He wasn't feeling good, he was tired and irritable, and then we had him checked in. They found out he had a concussion," he said.

A week and a half later, Bailey began having seizures, his dad said. A friend of his parents told ABCNews.com that Bailey was having refractory status epilepsies, a condition in which the brain is in a state of persistent seizure. O'Neill said they'd happen about every three seconds.

Bailey had to have a blood transfusion after getting pneumonia, the family friend confirmed, and doctors at A.I. duPont Hospital for Children put Bailey in a medically induced coma.

The Delaware County District Attorney's Office says it has opened an active criminal investigation, according to WPVI. Southeast Delco School District officials have said the district is cooperating with the investigation. The school's principal didn't return a call to ABC News.

On Sunday, the following statement was posted on the Facebook page Building Hope for Bailey:

"I would like to thank everyone who has prayed and supported Bailey and his family!! Bailey has been the strongest toughest boy I know. He has fought this battle long and hard. There just wasn't a way to fix this. I wish I could say he will get better but I can't. Bailey has gone to be with God today :( I love you Jina Risoldi with all my heart and I will help you through this. Bailey I love you!!! Please keep Baileys family in your prayers!!!" ..Source.. by Kevin Dolak

Classmates Of Gabrielle Molina, 12-Year-Old Girl Who Committed Suicide, Rally Against Bullying

5-29-2013 New York:

QUEENS VILLAGE — Classmates of 12-year-old Gabrielle Molina, who committed suicide last week after being relentlessly taunted online and at school, rallied Tuesday to call for an end to bullying.

Dozens of students gathered in the rain in front of Jean Nuzzi I.S. 109 in Queens Village, chanting, "Stop the bullying!" Queens City Councilman Leroy Comrie and anti-violence activist Tony Herbert joined the students, imploring bullying victims to speak out and get help.

"Don’t handle it by yourself," said Hannah Hendrax, 12, one of Molina's friends.

Classmates said they were aware of nasty comments other students made about Molina online, including calling her a "slut" and making fun of her new haircut, but they said Molina claimed she didn't let it bother her.

Her friends said they wish she had told them how bad the bullying had gotten.

A relative found Molina in her family's Queens Village home May 23, after she hanged herself with a belt, police said. Molina left behind a note describing the bullying and apologizing to her parents for taking her own life, according to reports.

"Gabby was fun. She would light up the entire room," said Nia James, 12, another friend of Molina's. "I burst out in tears when I found out."

Students at I.S. 109 said the school gave them a pamphlet to take home after the suicide, telling them to speak up if they felt bullied or were having suicidal feelings.

Comrie said he had expressed his condolences to Molina's family.

"No child should feel intimidated," he said.

No school administrators spoke at the rally, and the Department of Education declined to comment on Tuesday, citing the ongoing police investigation.

"She was sweet person. She had a big heart," another classmate said of Molina Tuesday afternoon. "[Bullying] has to stop today." ..Source.. by Ben Fractenberg

Teen, 17, who committed suicide tormented by bully even after death

6-26-2013 New York:

Gregory Spring suffered from Tourette syndrome, Callosum Dysgenesis, a developmental disorder, and constant bullying — even on his obituary condolence page.

Even death couldn't spare Gregory Spring a bully's torment.

Driven to take his own life by years of constant teasing, the 17-year-old's obituary condolence page was hijacked by a mean-spirited peer who couldn't resist getting in one last jab.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA HE DIED!!!!!! I HOPE HE IS IN HELLLLLLLL," the sick student wrote.

For Spring's mother, Keri, it was the ultimate insult after six years of incessant bullying that ended in such terrible tragedy. The New York teen suffered from Tourette syndrome, Keri told WIVB-TV, and Callosum Dysgenesis, a developmental disorder that affected how he processed information and emotions.

"He was just a very compassionate, very loving, very emotional person that just wanted to be accepted," Keri told the TV station.

"He was just distraught but never showed it to us," she added.

"There came an incident where Greg actually picked him up and said, 'Stop bullying, bullying isn't good. Bullying is only going to hurt people,'" Keri said.

Greg was just finishing his sophomore year of high school when he killed himself June 17.

Keri says she contacted the school several times about bullying, warning them that Greg's classmates were making life difficult for him.

The school has an anti-bullying policy, and in a statement, the school's superintendent said Greg had not been bullied.

"Based on information received from the police, the untimely loss of this student's life may be attributed to a factor or factors altogether unrelated to bullying," Superintendent Karen Geelan wrote.

But Keri disagrees. The fact that someone so twisted would taunt Greg even in death is proof enough the teen was tormented.

She's hoping now she can advocate for stricter rules or legislation that would prevent such a suicide in the future.

"When a bully is brought to your attention, it need to be hit head-on and stopped immediately," Keri said. ..Source.. by Sasha Goldstein / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

New girl blamed to teen bullying suicide case

7-24-2013 California:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A new classmate has been implicated in the death of a 15-year-old girl who committed suicide after saying three boys sexually assaulted her and circulated photos of the abuse online.

Audrie Pott hanged herself in September, about a week after passing out drunk at a party at a friend's house in Northern California.

The 15-year-old said boys she had known for years took off her clothes and sexually assaulted her, including writing and drawing on intimate parts of her body and taking cellphone photos of their actions, according to authorities.

She tried to confront the boys accused of attacking her online, and posted her feelings about it on social media.

"I have a reputation for a night I don't even remember and the whole school knows," she wrote in one Facebook message to a friend.

"I cried when I found out what they did," she wrote in another.

Audrie Pott's family recently added a 15-year-old girl to their lawsuit filed in April against the three boys and the adult couple where she said the assault took place on Sept. 2.

Attorney Robert Allard initially sued the boys and the adult couple in Santa Clara County Superior Court, alleging battery, defamation, wrongful death and several other claims. The suit seeks unspecified damages.

The new defendant was added in June with the Pott family alleging the teenage girl was present in the room when the assault occurred and encouraged the boys "to expose and/or photograph and/or draw on Audrie's body," according to the amended lawsuit.

The girl, identified only as Jane C. because she is a minor, then buttoned and zipped Audrie Pott's shorts, covered her with a blanket and left her alone, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that Jane C. lied about her involvement to cover up the assault.

The boys are also identified only by their first names and an initial because of their ages. They have also been charged criminally with sexual battery, dissemination of child pornography and possession of child pornography.

The AP does not routinely identify victims of sexual assault. But in this case, Pott's family wanted her name and case known, Allard said. The family also provided a photo to the AP.

Days after the party, Audrie Pott saw a group of students at Saratoga High School huddled around a cellphone and realized that at least one humiliating photo of her was circulating, according to police reports.

The family and authorities say the assault occurred at the Saratoga home of Michael Penuen and Sheila Penuen, who left their teen daughter behind while they went out of town.

The Penuens' daughter, whom AP has not named, told her parents she was spending the night at Audrie Pott's home. Instead, several teens gathered at the Penuens' home and drank alcohol. A woman answering the Penuen's home phone Saturday declined comment and hung up. It is not clear whether the daughter is involved in the suit.

Eight days after the party, Audrie Pott called and asked her mother to pick her up at school. She said she couldn't deal with it anymore but would not say what was wrong. She later hanged herself in her home. ..Source.. by PAUL ELIAS

Former NASA Official Found Dead In Thailand With Rope Tied Around Genitals And Neck

5-26-2013 Thailand:

A former senior NASA official was found dead in Thailand earlier this week after having apparently attempted to perform a bizarre and dangerous sex act on himself.

Paul Milford Muller, 76, "was found with a rope tied around his genitals and waist and another rope tied around his neck, hanging from a knob of his bedroom door" inside a house in Tak province, according to Bangkok Post.

A California native and resident of Thailand, Muller appeared to have died from asphyxiation or from a heart attack after a drug overdose. Gawker describes his cause of death as "apparent autoerotic asphyxia." Police reported no signs of foul play.

Methamphetamine pills and paraphernalia as well as "several sex toys" were also found in the room.

Muller's body was found Tuesday, and police suspect he had been dead for about three days. Police were in the process of contacting his family to take charge of his body.

Having graduated from Cal State University, served on the Apollo Navigation Team and worked for 10 years at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Muller had taken to writing during his retirement. His most recent book, Suicide Inc., is described on his website as a "romantic and erotic thriller." Other works include Flight of the Marbles and Circle of Ouroboros. ..Source..

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Ex-Nasa American found dead in Tak

5-26-2013 Thailand:

A 76-year-old American man has been found dead inside a house in Tak province, police said on Tuesday.

Paul Milford Muller (Photo from mullerpaulm.com)

Paul Milford Muller was a former official at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and the Jet Propulsion Lab, and the author of three books. ..Source..

Coroner releases identities of bodies found in East Side apartment

Posted in Related Deaths

5-20-2013 Indiana:

EVANSVILLE — A man and woman whose bodies were found in their northern Vanderburgh County apartment Monday afternoon were identified Wednesday by the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office as Holly L. Usrey, 56, and Thomas H. Zinni, 65.

Usrey died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Coroner Annie Groves, and her death is listed as being a homicide. Zinni died from a self-inflicted wound, Groves said.

The couple were found Monday in their apartment by a maintenance employee of the Delaware Trace Apartments, however, their date of death is listed as May 20.

Foul play not suspected in man’s death

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Iowa police: Sex offender suspected of abducting 2 girls found dead; 1 girl still missing

5-21-2013 Iowa:

Authorities say a convicted sex offender who was suspected of abducting two girls from an Iowa bus stop has been found dead.

The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says 42-year-old Michael Klunder was found dead Monday night at a rural property northeast of Dayton, which is about 60 miles north of Des Moines. His cause of death hasn't been released.

Klunder is accused of abducting a 15-year-old girl and 12-year-old girl on Monday. The 12-year-old was able to escape and told authorities she and the other girl were taken to an agricultural facility after accepting a ride from a stranger.

The 15-year-old is still missing. Dozens of law enforcement agents are searching for Kathlynn Shepard. Authorities say they're releasing her name and photo in an effort to find her alive.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

A man suspected of abducting two girls from a bus stop in central Iowa has been found dead, but a massive search for one of the girls continues, authorities said Tuesday.

Utah Republican activist facing rape charges found dead after jail release

10-24-2012 Utah:

A Utah Tea Party activist and Republican fundraiser charged with more than two dozen felony counts of rape and sexual assault has died from an apparent suicide just four days after he was freed from jail on bail, his attorney said on Wednesday.

Greg N. Peterson, 37, was found dead in his remote Heber City-area cabin, in the mountains about 50 miles east of Salt Lake City, by two bail bondsmen late on Tuesday, defense lawyer Cara Tangaro said.

An initial investigation indicates Peterson died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head, Wasatch County Sheriff Todd Bonner said at a news conference Tuesday night. The death remained under investigation.

The cabin was the site of Peterson's annual Rocky Mountain Conservative BBQ - an annual summer fundraiser initiated in 2010 for Republican Party luminaries, including presidential nominee Mitt Romney, Utah Senator Orrin Hatch and the state's governor, Gary Herbert.

Peterson was arrested in July and charged by Salt Lake County prosecutors with 25 counts sexual abuse, assault, rape, sodomy and kidnapping. The charges stem from allegations that Peterson had attacked four women he met through an online dating site for Mormons or at church-related events.

Wasatch County prosecutors filed a similar sex abuse case against Peterson in August after a fifth woman came forward.

Peterson, a financial planner, had denied the allegations, although he had not yet entered a plea in either case. On Friday, Peterson had posted bail of $2 million and was released from jail.

The bail bondsmen went looking for Peterson on Tuesday after something went awry with the signal from his ankle monitor and no one was able to reach him by phone, Tangaro said.

"We were worried that something was wrong," Tangaro told Reuters on Wednesday. "We had been having contact with Greg daily since his release."

Peterson had no known medical history that put him at risk for suicide and had not displayed any signs that he was in distress, Tangaro said. Peterson had felt, however, tremendous pressure from media coverage of the case, which he believed had unfairly demonized him, she said.

"I think the thought that he may not overcome that image, no matter the outcome of his case, was very difficult," Tangaro said. "We were absolutely shocked by (his death)."

Tangaro said she does not believe Peterson's apparent suicide should be interpreted as an admission of guilt. ..Source.. by Jennifer Dobner

County inmate dies from what authorities say is apparent suicide

6-3-2013 Florida:

SEBRING- A Highlands County Jail inmate Scott Alexander Wilkie, 37, died early hours Monday from what appears to be an apparent suicide, a Highlands County Sheriff's Office news release adds.

Wilkie was found unresponsive in his cell at approximately 2:20 a.m. Monday, the news release adds.

He was taken by emergency responders to a local medical facility where he was pronounced dead.

"Detectives responded to the jail and began a death investigation, which is the normal procedure under these circumstances," the news release states. "At this time the death looks to be an apparent suicide however the District 10 Medical Examiner is conducting an autopsy and an official cause of death will be forthcoming."

Once the death investigation is concluded, the sheriff's office's Internal Affairs Unit will begin an administrative review, the news release adds.

The mandatory review will evaluate all policies, standard operating procedures and protocols "to ensure a thorough assessment of the circumstances, immediate care and response provided to the inmate in this case. "

Sheriff Susan Benton said the family has been notified and "we are saddened for their loss.

She has personally known him since he was in middle school.

"One of our retired deputies spent much of his time as a school resource deputy helping Scott to get through some very difficult times as a youngster. As always, we will ensure a thorough review of the circumstances surrounding his death at which time the report will become public record." ..Source.. by Highlands Today

Untimely Death of Sex Offender Likely Overdose

3-24-2011 Connecticut:

The untimely death Thursday morning of a sex offender who lived in Fairfield was likely due to an overdose, according to police.

James Pinson died on his 31st birthday after police responded to a medical call at the Hoyden's Hill Road house where he lived with his stepfather and mother, police said. He had been depressed on and off for about five years and had been drinking and taking sleeping aids, police said.

Pinson, who was convicted in 2001 of risk of injury to or impairing the morals of children, was found on a couch in the home and suffered cardiac arrest about 6:10 a.m. as officers arrived, police said. He was taken by AMR Ambulance Co. to St. Vincent's Medical Center in Bridgeport and was pronounced dead, police said. The conviction stemmed from a 1999 case in Fairfield, details of which were not immediately available.

The State of Connecticut's Sex Offender Registry says Pinson was convicted March 12, 2001 and was released from custody on July 27, 2001. He was six feet, four inches tall and weighed 375 pounds, according to the registry. ..Source.. by Andrew Brophy

BSO settles lawsuit with family of man exonerated by DNA

7-21-2013 Florida:

Convicted of rape, exonerated by DNA; family settles BSO lawsuit

Frank Lee Smith died of cancer on death row, just months before DNA exonerated him of raping and murdering an 8-year-old girl in Fort Lauderdale. Now, more than 13 years later, his family's civil lawsuit against the Broward Sheriff's Office and two detectives accused of framing him has finally been settled.

Smith's death made him a national symbol because it was the first case in the U.S. that scientifically proved an innocent man had died in prison for a crime he didn't commit.

But the financial settlement reached with the Sheriff's Office — on behalf of the agency and retired detectives Richard Scheff and Philip Amabile — is much less than the millions awarded in Broward's other notorious wrongful conviction cases.

The civil suit was recently settled for just $340,000 — including attorney fees and legal costs, lawyers Michael Wrubel and James Green told the Sun Sentinel. They filed the lawsuit on behalf of Smith's closest surviving relative, his half-sister Virginia Smith, of Sunrise.

Child Molester Kills Himself in Court With Cyanide

7-5-2013 Missouri:

It was like a scene out of a spy thriller. Steve Parsons of Maryville, Missouri, was absolutely not going to jail.

Parsons, age 48, had been accused of forcible sodomy of a 14-year-old girl. He was having his day in court and a verdict had been read. He was found guilty, not of forcible sodomy, but of statutory sodomy. The crime carried a sentence of up to 7 years in prison.

What witnesses describe next, according to a local news station, is something they will likely not forget for the rest of their lives. Nodaway County Sheriff Darren White tells what happened in the courtroom as the jurors pronounced Parsons guilty.

“As the judge was polling the jury, Mr. Parsons stood up, walked to where I was seated and looked at me and said, ‘I’m going to throw up.’ He picked up a drink, took a very small drink out of this cup, and then returned to his seat. Less than two minutes after that, Mr. Parsons arched his back and began to have a seizure.”

White said that Parsons collapsed to the floor and began convulsing. He stopped breathing on the way to a nearby hospital, and later died.

On Friday authorities searched Parsons car and found a piece of paper with a phone number on it. It turned out to be for a chemical company. Further investigation revealed that Parsons had bought 100 grams of cyanide from the company and apparently ingested it in the courtroom, killing himself in front of the judge, jurors, sheriff and onlookers, rather than go to jail. An autopsy report confirmed that his death was a result of cyanide poisoning.

The prosecuting attorney who brought Parsons case to trial, Jerry Biggs, said, “I can’t speculate to what he was going through, but I’m firmly convinced that his death was not a result of a wrongful verdict by the jury. This was a girl who had been wronged and was determined and brave enough to make things right.” ..Source.. by Mike Tuttle

CHILD PORN: Accused Found Dead

7-5-2013 Iowa:

An Ankeny man being investigated in a child pornography case was found dead over the weekend.

Officers found the body of 48-year-old Paul Hildreth at an Ankeny home Sunday afternoon.

Hildreth was charged after investigators found 1.5-million images of child pornography on his personal computers and two hard drives.

An autopsy confirmed Ankeny police’s early suspicions Monday evening saying that Hildreth shot himself in the head. ..Source.. by WHOTV.com

Fugitive NY teacher guilty of child porn a suicide

7-1-2013 New York:

WAPPINGER, N.Y. (AP) — A former Long Island elementary school teacher who disappeared from a halfway house after a child pornography conviction has apparently killed himself, state police said Monday.

People using a personal watercraft found the body of 53-year-old Michael Reiner Thursday in the Hudson River in the town of Wappinger, said State Police Capt. Pierce Gallagher. Fingerprints, medical records and an autopsy were used to positively identify the body.

Gallagher said Monday evidence suggests Reiner killed himself. The body, which Gallagher said had been in the water for "an extended period of time," had injuries consistent with a fall from a high structure. Police do not believe he was assaulted.

Federal authorities had been looking for Reiner since May 31, when he didn't show up for work. He was released from prison last year after serving 6 ½ years, but was still being supervised by probation officers. He was staying at a halfway house in Brooklyn.

Reiner taught at the Long Island School for the Gifted in Huntington Station. When he was arrested, investigators found child porn on his computer and also writings about cannibalism and eating children.

Wappinger is 65 miles north of New York City. ..Source.. by seattlepi.com

Barricaded subject incident ends after police find body

7-5-2013 Idaho:

Police say a barricaded subject incident in central Sioux Falls has ended.

Lt. Galen Smidt said that a man, 42, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound in the home at 2304 S. Jefferson Avenue shortly after police arrived to serve an arrest warrant.

Smidt said police arrived to the home at around 8:30 a.m. at the intersection of 31st Street and Jefferson Avenue to serve a warrant.

"There were occupants on the upstairs of the house. They gave indication that the person they were looking for was in the basement," Smidt said.

While police were clearing the rest of the house, they heard a single gunshot. Nobody else was injured, Smidt said.

A bomb squad unit arrived later and deployed a robot inside the home to search for the man. The scene was cleared at about 1:45 p.m. after SWAT members made contact.

Streets in the area were closed during the incident, and people in Laura Wilder Elementary School across the street were told to shelter in place. ..Source.. by Argus Leader staff (Note: This was a person accused of a sex offense, but to know that you have to read the long followup story HERE "... It isn’t hidden. I asked police spokesman Sam Clemens for it yesterday and went through his criminal file today. His name was Craig Austin Callaghan. He was supposed to be sentenced felony sexual contact on June 25, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.* He’d taken a plea deal, and the pleas were “open,” meaning the deal didn’t cap his possible prison time. He clearly didn’t want to go to prison, and not for fear of the unknown. He’d been convicted of three prior felonies: aggravated assault in 1994, possession of a controlled substance in 2002 and distribution of marijuana to a minor in 2008. The warrant for his arrest was issued on the sentencing date. The standoff happened 10 days later. Deputies arrived at 8:30 a.m., and the others in the house directed them to Callaghan, who was in the basement. The deputies ushered the residents out, then heard a gunshot. They left the house and called in S.W.A.T. and negotiators. ...)