Content warning: article may be triggering to some.
At 6:26 pm today, Toronto Paramedic Services received a call from the Bahen Centre for Information Technology, where paramedics confirmed a death at the scene. Emergency services were dispatched to St. George Street, where police evacuated and cordoned off the building.
This is the third death in the Bahen Centre over the past two years.
In an email to The Varsity, the university also confirmed the death.
Vice-Provost Students Sandy Welsh wrote, “We mourn the loss of our student, and we are here to support our community.”
From 10:00 am to 4:00 pm today, counsellors and chaplains will be available to students seeking support. They will be located at the Koffler Student Services Centre, Room 111.
We are saddened to report that a U of T student has died on the St. George campus tonight. Counsellors and Chaplains will be available to support students today from 10am – 4pm at the Health and Wellness Centre in the Koffler Student Services Centre, 1st Floor, Room 111. (1/4)
— University of Toronto (@UofT) September 28, 2019
Editor’s Note (September 28, 1:34 pm): This article was updated to include comment from U of T.
If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call:
- Canada Suicide Prevention Service phone available 24/7 at 1-833-456-4566
- Good 2 Talk Student Helpline at 1-866-925-5454
- Ontario Mental Health Helpline at 1-866-531-2600
- Gerstein Centre Crisis Line at 416-929-5200
- U of T Health & Wellness Centre at 416-978-8030.
Warning signs of suicide include:
- Talking about wanting to die
- Looking for a way to kill oneself
- Talking about feeling hopeless or having no purpose
- Talking about feeling trapped or being in unbearable pain
- Talking about being a burden to others
- Increasing use of alcohol or drugs
- Acting anxious, agitated, or recklessly
- Sleeping too little or too much
- Withdrawing or feeling isolated
- Showing rage or talking about seeking revenge
- Displaying extreme mood swings
The more of these signs a person shows, the greater the risk. If you suspect someone you know may be contemplating suicide, you should talk to them, according to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention.
