An individual was found dead at the Cal State Long Beach campus on the afternoon of Nov. 16 near the Palo Verde North Parking Structure, the university announced in an email Thursday morning. The cause of death was deemed as a suicide by the University Police.
CSULB police and the Long Beach Fire Department responded to calls of an injured person at the parking structure Wednesday afternoon and pronounced the individual dead on arrival.
“The individual was not affiliated with the University,” read an email statement to staff and students from University Police Chief John Brockie. “Those who reported the incident were provided immediate support services by professionals in our Student Affairs division.”
As of Aug. 12, a total of 20 Long Beach residents have committed suicide since the beginning of 2022, according to data obtained from the Long Beach Health Department through a public records request made in August.
According to the same data, since 2007, 43 residents have killed themselves by jumping from a high place. It is the fifth most common method of suicide in Long Beach.
University Police Lieutenant Carol Almaguer said the UPD received calls requesting medical aid around 3 p.m. Wednesday. The fire department was already on the scene when UPD arrived and pronounced the individual dead.
“We haven’t released any information on the victim and we’re not going to,” Almaguer said. “Our involvement was to gather evidence, interview witnesses, put together an investigation and call the coroner out.”
Almaguer said the investigation is still ongoing as the police have to interview “a few people.”
This story was updated on Nov. 17 with information provided by the University Police Department.
