65 CommentsThe entire west side of 116th and Broadway is filled with fire trucks and emergency services vehicles: someone was hit by a train at the 116th 1 stop minutes ago. One police officer Bwog asked reported simply that someone was hit, and could not tell us whether the person survived or not. Another police officer, however, informed a tipster that it was a suicide, and someone jumped in front of an oncoming train. Check back for updates.
Update, 11:27am: Another police officer confirms the suicide.
Update, 11:40am: A list of service disruptions can be found on the MTA website. The 116th station is closed.
Update, 11:48am: A few of the fire trucks have cleared away, but a police officer informs us that the investigation could take a while. Bwog saw a few NYPD investigators flashing their badges to get down into the station.
Update, 12:13pm: A police officer Sources informed Spec that it was an “older man,” either an “older” or “fairly young” male, but no word yet if he was Columbia-affiliated or not.
Update, 1:25pm: According to his ID, the victim was born in 1991, but was not a Columbia student. All police officers and emergency services vehicles have cleared 116th Street.
Update, 3:57pm: The MTA reports regular resumed service on the 1 line; Spec has compiled a list of psychological services resources.
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65 Comments
@p i knew the kid=((((this is devastating
@sad the boy was 18 years old. please pray for the family.
@If you really need help, then do not bother with columbia counseling, find real professional off campus.
@very sorry for the extraordinary pain that this young man must have been feeling that drove him to do this – and for the extraordinary pain for his family and friends that is probably just beginning right now.
as has been expressed several times on this board, you are not alone – others have suffered and are suffering with depression, and fighting to live the next day, because (among other things) pain is temporary and death is very permanent. whether it’s our troubled world, a failed romance, school, family, money … or whatever else … recognize that a) you’re not crazy – lots and lots of people have felt the extraordinary pain that you feel but b) you’re also not healthy. lots of those same people have truly benefited from speaking to a therapist and have healed and gone on to lead wonderful lives. don’t short change yourself of that chance
as an aside, no sense in getting angry at the calloused commenters – they clearly have no idea what it is they’re talking about. and they are lucky for that naivety
@Billygoat Please do not tease or feed the trolls.
@Owned!!!!1 “Alice, I fail to see any sadism or bigotry in any of the posts. Self-righteousness, maybe, but that’s to be expected. That category includes you, too, needless to say.”
Someone’s gotta tell these trolls to shut it
@Bob Alice, I fail to see any sadism or bigotry in any of the posts. Self-righteousness, maybe, but that’s to be expected. That category includes you, too, needless to say.
@ugh People, when someone commits suicide, I promise you they probably aren’t thinking it’s the “easy way out” – and telling someone who’s suicidal that they’re just being weak in contemplating it? WHOO BOY. Good job there. That’ll REALLY help.
@Maybe if his Econometrics teacher didn’t assign him a 12 hour long problem set, things would not have seemed as bleak.
Oh wait, I’m talking about myself.
@Alice To all the sadistic, bigoted, selfish responders, I can only say you probably need help, too. I am sure someone will think of something mean-spirited to respond to this post with, and if that’s what gets you through the day, fine. But you can be better than this.
@agreed agreed, agreed.
these comments are sick
@Brando The train conductor should seek counseling. This must be devastating for the driver. There was nothing he/she could really do to stop it.
@Anonymous Why disrupt subway service any more than it already is? Anyone who wants to commit suicide can simply walk north a few blocks during the night, and their problem will be taken care of by the residents.
@Alum Wow — arrogant, irritating and wrong all at the same time.
@you are a jerk.
@dumbass Have you even been north of 125th? or east of the park?
@Anonymous Life is pain. Anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something.
@Anonymous This is terrible. I wish people would have some more sympathy and realize how horrible life must have seemed to him. Things like this make me realize how fortunate I am to not feel so helpless and hopeless.
@thank goodness for subway service finally resuming!
@FYI 1010wins traffic claims that normal service has resumed at 116
@not to be insensitive, but i’m confused. is the station still closed? because i have a seder in midtown to get to…
back to being sensitive:
members of my family are clinically depressed. when my little brother expressed suicidal thoughts last year, it was one of the scariest times in my life. i was so afraid for him. suicide is never the answer. get help, talk to a friend or family member, or call one of the numbers the thoughtful people above have posted.
@Anonymous what’s a seder?
@Anonymous http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover_Seder
@boom http://tinyurl.com/cjhpn9
@if you need help.... please seek out the following resources:
Columbia Counseling Center (CPS): 212-854-2878
Barnard Counseling Center (Furman): 212-854-2092
Nightline (every night 10 pm – 3 am) 212-854-7777
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK
@Sigh... Cornell is having a problem with suicides…again.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/17/education/17cornell.html
@honestly i care more about my horrible lottery # than this…
@honestly no one cares about your honesty
@um you’re an asswipe
@born in 1991 he was so young :( :( i feel so sorry for him and his family.
@Sigh.... ….I expected better than a 1200 something.
*sigh* indeed
@Anonymous lottery day makes everyone depressed…
@not funny Suicide is a very serious issue with many significant psychological causes, such as depression. Clinical depression is never something to be taken lightly. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/depression/index.shtml or http://www.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.viewPage&page_id=74295647-AAD5-B47F-340249697DAC238A
I participated in the 2008 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s overnight walk, and let me tell you, suicide causes lasting damage to the victim’s family and friends. I’m not trying to judge the individual who died today, but suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem, and there are ways around it. If you’re feeling depressed or suicidal, talk to a friend, relative or counselor, or call a hotline. The darkness can and will lift, and there is always hope.
@Of the people that witnessed it... …the one who probably is most traumatized is the conductor. I almost wish BWOG wouldn’t post these things, or at least I would never find out about them.
@student? The Spec is now reporting that it could have possibly been a student, one person said it was an older man but two have said that he looked ‘fairly young.’
no word on whether this person, student or not, was affiliated with Columbia.
On another note, my thoughts go out to whoever this man was, to his family and to his friends. what a sad way to end it. also, to the people who witnessed this, how traumatizing that must have been.
@Anonymous there are no trains at 137… or at least there weren’t when i was there an hour ago. yay for being a half hour late for work.
@Remember Appearance with regard to age is no indication of whether the person was a student — there are a lot of “older” people who are students here too.
@sad This is horrible. Life is so precious, think it through.
@? maybe they did think it through and this was their decision.
@depression sufferer the problem is never a lack of thought; you do think you’re thinking it through. and you do think very carefully and thoroughly. the problem is that your judgment is clouded… people would be surprised how completely and viciously depression ransacks your brain. it’s like a computer virus of sorts. yes, a person thinking rationally will likely figure out that life will likely get better etc, etc, but in the throes of depression, this thought is almost physically blocked from your head. of course there are better solutions to your problems, but once you get to a certain point, only one seems valid.
so my brief PSA: all those suffering from depression should seek treatment. it can be almost impossible to shake off the beast on your own, as it often grows even fiercer with time. but with help you can banish it from your brain. trust me, it’s worth it.
@y are there so many depressed people on this board?
WTF
@Anonymous Because it’s gloomy outside. And because this is Columbia.
@Anonymous Gee, I don’t know, maybe because someone killed himself?
@:( suicides always make me so upset to hear about, especially considering how close I’ve come to trying. my thoughts are with his family.
@Resources On campus:
Nightline: 212-854-7777
Rape Crisis/Anti-Violence Support Center: 212-854-HELP
Counseling Services: 212-854-2878
@Eliza Expect a full listing of psychological services resources within the day.
@ALERT Thank you. I hadn’t checked anywhere else (sue me if it makes you feel better) at the moment.
Ugh, what a way to go…I’m still reeling over the incident over at the E. 77th St. station a month or so ago…
@UHM... – Not everybody reads the rest of bwog when the first thing on the top of the page is OMG DEATH ON THE TRACKS
– And southbound trains were running express from 137th? *While* there was a body on the tracks? That doesn’t make sense. (Then again, it is the MTA.)
USE SOME COMMON SENSE…THERE’s a track in the middle that they run on….DUHHHHHH
Come on we go to Columbia but can’t even use our heads to realize how the trains can continue running
@Anonymous “If you look out the right side windows, you will see a mangled body on the tracks. Don’t worry, NYPD’s finest are right there on the platform, taking care of things and comforting shell shocked witnesses. As soon was we go slowly past 116 towards 96th, the MTA will turn off power to the tracks so they can go down and clean up.”
@Anonymous It wasn’t a student, was it?
@... http://www.columbiaspectator.com/2010/03/29/death-116th-subway
The victim is described as an older man.
@According to Spectrum it was an “older man”
@Anonymous agreed. things can get better.
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
1-800-273-TALK
@remember suicide is NOT the answer.
even if things are terrible right now, everything will get better.
@Finally... a compassionate post amongst the interrupted schedule stock.
@Do some research “ALERT”
If you had read the post by bwog in the headlines section you would have seen that trains are running express from 137 to 96, so it means that the Downtown side is affected.
Also you could have gone to the MTA’s website before making such a wasteful post
@Hey – Not everybody reads the rest of bwog when the first thing on the top of the page is OMG DEATH ON THE TRACKS
– And southbound trains were running express from 137th? *While* there was a body on the tracks? That doesn’t make sense. (Then again, it is the MTA.)
@seas kid there are three tracks at 116 – uptown, downtown, and the middle is an unused express track. this is what they probably used.
@Anonymous A “wasteful” post?! Dude, get over yourself.
@Anonymous The 1 train was running on the 3 train this morning to 148th Harlem terminal this morning. The MTA advised people at 96th to take the M104 bus instead.
@JJ5 Argh. Train service is suspended from 137 to 96 Sts.
@ALERT Yikes. Any idea what side of the station (uptown/downtown) it happened on?
@Anonymous Does it matter?
Jesus, out of all the ways to go, why pick a subway train?
@pretty sure that it was the uptown side
@? Downtown side. I was coming from uptown and had to bypass 116th, get off at 110th. I assumed it was because of some sort of security violation – with the Sarkozy visit.