A man fatally stabbed himself after purchasing a utility knife, at a Home Depot in Irondequoit, New York, a suburb of Rochester. The incident, which occurred on a Wednesday afternoon, May 15 prompting an immediate response from local police and medical personnel.
According to Irondequoit Police Chief Scott Peters, the unidentified man entered the Home Depot on East Ridge Road, bought a utility knife, and then used it to inflict fatal injuries on himself inside the store. Surveillance footage captured the entire incident, providing clear evidence of the incident.
Emergency medical services rushed to the scene and attempted life-saving measures, but the man was pronounced dead at Strong Memorial Hospital shortly before 3:30 pm.
Due to privacy concerns of the family, the man was not publicly identified, although his obituary describes him as having been only 41 years old. He is survived by his mother and younger sister, who paid tribute to him. His funeral was held in June.
The Irondequoit Police Department confirmed that there was no ongoing threat to public safety and that the investigation is still in progress. “Our thoughts are with all those impacted by this incident,” the police department stated.
The incident has left the local community and store employees in shock. Counseling services continue to be made available to Home Depot employees who witnessed the event. This tragedy adds to the ongoing conversation about mental health and the prevalence of suicide in the United States.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed a significant increase in suicide rates, with over 49,000 people dying by suicide in 2022, and the number rising to more than 50,000 in 2023, marking the highest figures ever recorded. In response to this alarming trend, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) has been working to reduce the suicide rate by 20% by 2025 through various initiatives, including public education, advocacy, and support for those affected by suicide.
This incident follows other violent occurrences at Home Depot locations. In Victorville, California, two people were injured in a confrontation with a shoplifter in December 2023, and in April 2023 in Pleasanton, California, Blake Mohs, a loss prevention worker, was fatally shot while attempting to stop a suspected shoplifter.
