The Murfreesboro Fire Department and Murfreesboro Police responded to an address in Murfreesboro on Tuesday after a man threatened to take his own life. According to a police report filed on Tuesday, what set the man off was his wife suggesting to him that they should have what she called an “*open marriage.” Evidently the husband did not like the suggestion and placed a shotgun in his mouth in a threat to commit suicide. The wife took the shotgun away from her husband and the man headed to the garage where he allegedly turned on a propane tank and lit a cigar. The fire department arrived and secured the scene to put an end to anything catching on fire.

The couples young daughter was at home when this ordeal unfolded. The report shows that the Department of Children Services were notified and the child left with her grandmother. Before police left, they took custody of a shotgun and a rifle that belonged to the husband. The man was transported to Middle Tennessee Medical Center.

While WGNS does not release the names or addresses of those contemplating suicide, we do feel it is of importance to report on such situations because we have noticed a large upswing in suicide threats or attempts in recent weeks.

In 2011, the latest year for which state-specific figures are available, Tennessee’s age-adjusted suicide rate was 14.6 per 100,000 people, translating into 938 reported suicide deaths per year (The full report can be viewed here. )

With these staggering numbers in mind, WGNS asked the director of the Guidance Center in Murfreesboro if talking to a loved one about suicide helps or hinders the situation. Kim Rush told us…

If you know of a loved one contemplating suicide, make sure they get the help they need. The suicide prevention hotline is available 24/7. Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to talk to a counselor at a Lifeline crisis center near you.

Upcoming seminar for suicide prevention help:

African-American Suicide Prevention Conference
Sat. (April 20, 2013) 8:30AM-3:30PM "Breaking The Silence" a suicide prevention conference for African-Americans at the Patterson Community Center (521 Mercury Blvd.). This event is free to the general public and members of all faith communities and includes a youth track. To register, contact Kim Rush via e-mail at krush@vbhcs.org, entering the words “Breaking the Silence” in the subject line, or send a fax to (615) 849-2333.  For general information about the event, call (615) 898-0771 or 542-2364.

*open marriage (wordnetweb.princeton.edu) 

Source:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Past WGNS News Story
The Guidance Center, Kim Rush – Director
The Suicide Prevention Hotline
Murfreesboro Police Incident Report# 13-5780