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Fourth New York City Police Officer Dies by Suicide in Last Three Weeks

The death adds urgency to an apparent mental health crisis within the NYPD.

A fourth New York City Police officer has died by suicide in the past three weeks, adding urgency to an apparent mental health crisis within the NYPD. The officer, who was off-duty at the time of his death, reportedly killed himself at his Long Island home, a senior NYPD official confirmed to NBC. The unidentified officer reportedly had a wife and several children. His death follows the June 5 suicide of Deputy Chief Steven Silks, the June 6 death of Det. Joseph Calabrese, and the June 14 death of an unnamed officer at the 121st Precinct in Staten Island. After the deaths of Silks and Calabrese only a day apart, NYPD Commissioner James O’Neill spoke about the need for officers to seek help if they are contemplating taking their own lives. “To have two people kill themselves within 10 hours is just—nothing brings us to our knees, but this is close,” O’Neill said.