Another apparent case of suicide has taken place in a mall, this time in Robinsons Place in Imus, Cavite.
A man was captured on closed-circuit television (CCTV) jumping to his death from the third level of the mall shortly after noon October 20. The man was instantly killed after slamming head first against the first floor of the shopping center.
A photo of the death scene went viral in the Internet while the CCTV video clip is in the custody of the police and mall security.
Police has not released the name of the man as of press time. The man was described to be around 5’4″ in height, with long hair, and wearing eyeglasses, jeans and a black shirt.
Last month, two minor boys died in a shooting incident in SM City Pampanga. The 13-year-old boy first shot his alleged lover, a 16-year-old boy, in the head. Afterwards, he shot himself.
SecurityMatters has said that such incidents, while isolated, are likely to happen again. Malls in the Philippines have become the most common social venues that copycat suicides cannot be farfetched.
These incidents hogged news headlines and might incite potential criminals to undertake similar course of actions, especially those who want to leave a big mark before killing themselves.
While the crime is possible and not farfetched, SecurityMatters advises malls and security forces to continue beefing up security in their areas.
SecurityMatters also maintains that there should be an effective emergency system that could address such incidents. A standby ambulance and medical personnel are just some of the minimum requirements.
