USF student who fell from building is third on-campus suicide since fall 2022

*University Police said the student appeared to have fallen from an upper floor inside the seven-story Interdisciplinary Sciences building. ORACLE PHOTO/JUSTIN SEECHARAN*

An on-campus death that occurred over spring break last month was confirmed as a suicide by University Police (UP).

This is the fourth on-campus death with no foul play suspected – meaning it was not a homicide – by police since September 2022: three were confirmed suicides. The other involved a student who was pronounced dead in their dorm room at Endeavor Hall in February.

The person found dead last month, who was identified as a male USF student, appeared to have fallen from an upper floor inside the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, a UP spokesman said.

The Interdisciplinary Sciences building is seven stories tall. The interior of the building is structured similarly to the Marshall Student Center, featuring a wide opening in the middle of each floor protected by a railing.

*A view from the seventh floor of the Interdisciplinary Sciences building, which features a wide opening in the middle that’s protected by a railing. ORACLE PHOTO/CLINTON ENGELBERGER*

The Oracle asked Althea Johnson, a USF spokesperson, what the university is doing to prevent future suicides on campus following last month’s death.

Johnson referred to USF’s existing services, including in-person and online counseling and two 24/7 virtual mental health platforms – TimelyCare and Togetherall.

“The university encourages anyone who may be in need to take advantage of any of the services offered,” Johnson said. “USF will continue to explore and evaluate additional options and resources.”

Johnson also pointed to a multi-phased suicide prevention initiative that USF announced one week after a student died by suicide at Beard Garage in September 2022.

Fences on the upper floor of on-campus parking garages at Tampa and St. Pete began installment last fall. The initiative also included adding buffering landscape at ground levels and suicide prevention signage on upper levels of the garages.

Last month’s death is the first confirmed suicide following the installation of fences not to occur at a parking garage.

Johnson didn’t clarify if USF would be implementing any new initiatives or strengthening current services in the near future following last month’s suicide. She highlighted USF’s status as a well-respected research university as a way to hopefully find new solutions.

“USF’s role as a leading research university puts our faculty at the forefront of studying this important issue,” she said. “Their ongoing research will hopefully lead to new discoveries and advancements that create a healthier future for our students and for people around the world.”

UP has issued alerts from USF’s Emergency Notification System (ENS) for past deaths on campus. The ENS notifies enrolled devices when there is a potential threat or danger on campus.

The UP spokesman said an alert was not sent out to students after last month’s death since it was determined there was no active threat to the USF community when officers arrived on the scene.

The spokesman also said that since the death occurred over spring break, UP did not want to create panic by sending an alert when most people weren’t on campus.

Details about what led to last month’s suicide are unknown. The Oracle’s request for public records was not fulfilled by UP at the time of publication.

If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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