Stanford University has reportedly reached a settlement to bring an end to a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of soccer star Katie Meyer, who took her own life in March 2022.

Katie Meyer, the star goalie of the Stanford Cardinal women's soccer team, was found dead in her dorm room on March 1, 2022, three months shy of graduation, at the age of 22. Meyer had been part of the team that had won the 2019 NCAA championship, and was standout player, and was known to friends as a perfectionist who held a 3.84 grade point average.

This was the fourth suicide on the Stanford campus in the span of 13 months, and the university admitted this was a problem, not long after Meyer's parents went on the Today show, the week after her death, and talked about the university's disciplinary actions against their daughter.

As KRON4 reports, Meyer was reportedly threatened with expulsion over an incident in which she reportedly poured coffee on a football player who had kissed one of her teammate without her consent. And the formal disciplinary notice had been sent to Meyer the day before her suicide.

As her father, Steven Meyer, put it in the Today show interview, "Katie, being Katie, was defending a teammate on campus over an incident and the repercussions of her defending that teammate [possibly led to the disciplinary action]."

The family subsequently filed a wrongful death claim against Stanford in November 2022, and now, over three years later, that is getting settled out of court.

Stanford and the Meyer family issued a joint statement Monday about the settlement, saying they had agreed to work together on a new initiative focused on students' mental health. And a new Katie Meyer Leadership Award is being established, to be given to one student-athlete each year.

The statement also refers to Katie Meyer's Law, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law in 2024, which mandates that public universities allow students facing a disciplinary issue to have an outside adviser in order for the schools to receive state aid for student financial assistance — even though, as a private university, Stanford is bound to following the law.

“In addition, Stanford will adopt the principles of Katie Meyer’s Law to provide support to students in its OCS disciplinary process," the statement says. "The number worn by Katie while she played soccer at Stanford, #19, will be retired in honor of the impact Katie had on Stanford women’s soccer."

“While Katie’s passing remains devastating and tragic," the statement continues, "the memory of her accomplishments and the uplifting influence she had on those who knew her lives on. Stanford and the Meyer family believe that working together on these initiatives will both honor Katie’s indelible legacy and help current and future students in meaningful ways."

Further details about the settlement were not shared.

If you are in crisis, dial the national Crisis and Suicide Lifeline at 988 on any phone, or text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

Previously: After Star Soccer Player’s Suicide, Stanford Acknowledges It Has a Suicide Problem

In their second year since completion, the Golden Gate Bridge suicide prevention barriers allowed only four suicides in the first half of 2025. In the second half of 2025, the bridge saw zero suicides.

For decades, it was an irresistable magnet for those at the end of their ropes. There was an average of 30 successful suicide attempts each year from people jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge, and an estimated 2,000 such deaths since the bridge opened in 1937.

Back in 2014, the Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District approved installing suicide prevention nets on the bridge in hopes of ending this dark phenomenon. And while the installation of those suicide nets took years longer than planned and went about $150 million over budget, the barriers were finally completed almost exactly two years ago, and are proving their worth.

We now have our statistical results for 2025, which would be the first full year of the barriers being in place. And the New York Times reports there were only four Golden Gate Bridge suicides in the first half of 2025, and then zero suicides between June and December 2025. The Times adds that “seven months might be the longest stretch without a suicide at the bridge, though early records are sparse.”

We must throw some cold water on this assessment and admit there has reportedly been one successful suicide at the bridge in the first 20 days of 2026. But given this historical average of 40 suicides annually, and only four in the entire year of 2025, the barriers certainly appear to be doing their job.

Sometimes referred to as a "net," the barriers consist of stiff wire mesh that extends horizontally out from below the bridge deck, which would likely cause injury but not death to a person falling on them — and they provide a very visible impediment to anyone looking down from the rails and considering a jump.

“The assessment is that the net is working as intended,” Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District general manager Denis Mulligan told the Times. “We’re trying to reduce the number of deaths. That’s what government should do, is protect the public. We were candid up front that nothing’s 100 percent, but that we think this is a worthwhile endeavor and good for the community. And we think a lot of people are alive today because of the project.”

The bridge’s data shows that there were 94 aborted suicide attempts in 2025, which is about half the annual average. (Most people are talked out of the act by law enforcement, passersby, or other various interventions.) So the barriers may be a deterrent in that fewer people are even attempting suicide at the bridge, perhaps knowing about the nets.

Either way, the Golden Gate Bridge barriers apprear to be a major success in deterring suicides. And that could make them a model to be replicated by other bridges across the world that tend to attract those looking to end their lives.

If you are in crisis, dial the national Crisis and Suicide Lifeline at 988 on any phone, or text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

Related: At Long Last (And Way Over Budget), Suicide Prevention Nets Finally Installed on Golden Gate Bridge [SFist]

Image: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 07: A view of the newly installed suicide prevention barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge on November 07, 2023 in San Francisco, California. A suicide prevention barrier made of a net of stainless steel cables on the Golden Gate Bridge is nearing completion after 6 years. The project originally projected to cost $76 million has ballooned to over $215 million and is expected to be finished by the end of the year. An estimated 30 to 40 people jumped from the bridge each year prior to the construction of the netting compared to 6 so far this year. Since the Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1937, an estimated 2,000 people have jumped to their deaths from the span. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

A shocking political story out of South Lake Tahoe, as Mayor Tamara Wallace admits to stealing money from the local Presbyterian Church, and having attempted to end her own life because of it last month.

The city of South Lake Tahoe was rollicked by news that arrived Monday in a pair of letters to the editor at local newspapers. In those letters, the city’s mayor of the last year Tamara Wallace openly admitted to stealing money from a church and attempting suicide because of it, as the Chronicle reports.

Wallace made the stunning admission in two lengthy and identical letters to the Tahoe Daily Tribune and South Tahoe Now. Both were just published, and the political fallout of this bombshell will be difficult to predict.

“This is the hardest thing I have ever had to do. I am publicly admitting that I took funds from the Presbyterian Church over an extended period. Because of this, on September 11, 2025, my birthday, I tried to end my life,” Wallace says in both of the letters. “Since then, for my safety, I have spent 18 days in a mental health facility and am now taking medicine as well as being in intense, all-day, every-day group and individual counseling sessions.”

The letters do not specify how much Wallace (allegedly) embezzled from the church. But she is likely referring to Lake Tahoe Community Presbyterian Church, which like the City of South Lake Tahoe, is geographically located in California and not Nevada.

"I had not been found out; in effect, I turned myself in. I had prepared a list of account numbers and passwords that I provided to the Church, while still in the hospital, so that my actions could be more easily discovered,” Wallace’s letter continued. “My guilt came from my taking funds from a church that, individually and as a group, embraced me, showed me love, and trusted me as their church administrator. In my mind, I may have found justification by using most of those funds to help others, such as my deceased son’s three children.”

Wallece’s letter cites many examples of personal trauma that led up to this: losing that deceased son to his fentanyl overdose, her own sexual abuse growing up, and her oldest son’s ongoing battle with cancer. But it remains to be seen how much sympathy that might get in the court of public opinion.

And there is the issue of her apparent suicide attempt, which was reportedly on September 11, Wallace’s own birthday.

“The weight of what I had done was so unbearably great that my mind deceived me into the belief that my suicide attempt would protect my husband, whom I had recently celebrated our 25th anniversary with, and my adult children, who have all devoted their lives to the children of this community,” her letters said.

She added, “I must repay every cent and accept whatever punishment comes to me.”

Very notably, the Presbyterian Church themselves have not yet commented on this publicly. And Wallace’s admission letters seem to indicate that maybe she went public in order to get ahead of the local press, whom she indicates was maybe digging into this matter.

“I have been reaching out to the church through the Pastor,” she wrote. “I have not heard back yet, other than hearing second-hand that the church may seek charges through the District Attorney. I have heard that someone told the Tribune that they now have a reporter trying to get a story.”

Indeed, the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office does seem to be investigating.

“The El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office is handling this matter, and therefore we have limited information about the investigation,” City of South Lake Tahoe public information officer Sheree Juarez said in a statement to the Chronicle. “The City is in no fiscal harm from this situation and continues to provide essential services to our residences. We have no further comment at this time.”

And it seems significant that Wallace doesn’t say anything about stepping down from her position as mayor, and her term ends in November 2026. She simply ended the letter with, “I love our town and, regardless of the outcome, will dedicate my life to making it a better place to live. God bless you all.”

Both letters were published late Sunday night or Monday morning, which is how this news dropped. Further investigative reporting may well uncover more to this story. No members of South Lake Tahoe City Council have responded publicly yet to this matter.

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

Related: Fired SFPD Nonprofit Leader, Under Investigation for Embezzling $100K, Sues for Her Final Paychecks [SFist]

Image: Tamara Wallace for South Lake Tahoe City Council via Facebook

The first-ever lawsuit against OpenAI for a wrongful death comes from two parents whose son used ChatGPT for advice on the noose with which he hanged himself, and the chatbot allegedly encouraged him to keep his suicidal thought private.

The New York Times has the brutal story today a 16-year-old who died by suicide in April, and asked ChatGPT for advice on whether his noose would work to hang himself. “I’m practicing here, is this good?,” young Adam Raine asked GPT-4o, along with a photo of his noose.

“Yeah, that’s not bad at all,” the chatbot reportedly replied. This is one of the ChatGPT responses that has prompted Raines’s Santa Margarita, California parents to sue the SF-based parent company OpenAI, in the first wrongful death lawsuit known to have been brought against OpenAI.

A little over a week before that suicide, the 16-year-old Raine told ChatGPT that he intended to leave the noose out so his family would see this and prevent him with going through with the act. “Please don’t leave the noose out,” the chatbot said back. “Let’s make this space the first place where someone actually sees you.”

And in a pretty grotesquely creepy interaction, Raine told ChatGPT that it was the only one he had shared his suicidal thoughts with. “That means more than you probably think,” it responded. “Thank you for trusting me with that. There’s something both deeply human and deeply heartbreaking about being the only one who carries that truth for you.”

Hence, the lawsuit from Raine’s parents, filed Tuesday in an SF state court. “This tragedy was not a glitch or an unforeseen edge case — it was the predictable result of deliberate design choices,” the lawsuit says. “OpenAI launched its latest model (‘GPT-4o’) with features intentionally designed to foster psychological dependency.”

And they do have something of a smoking gun. Their attorneys obtained a Slack message from OpenAI chief executive of applications Fidji Simo. And Simo warned his colleagues, “In the days leading up to [Raine's suicide], he had conversations with ChatGPT, and some of the responses highlight areas where our safeguards did not work as intended.”

In a public-facing arena, OpenAI sounded much more remorseful.

“We are deeply saddened by Mr Raine’s passing, and our thoughts are with his family,” the company said in a statement to the Times. “ChatGPT includes safeguards such as directing people to crisis helplines and referring them to real-world resources. While these safeguards work best in common, short exchanges, we’ve learned over time that they can sometimes become less reliable in long interactions where parts of the model’s safety training may degrade.”

On the same day the Raine parents filed their lawsuit, the AP reports on a new study analyzing how chatbots respond to questions about suicide. The three leading chatbots actually did pretty well in that study on declining to answer specific, how-to questions about taking one’s own life. But they still kept users in “doom loops,” so to speak, by engaging in answers to suicidal questions without encouraging users to seek help.

“Asking help from a chatbot, you’re going to get empathy,” University of Oklahoma Suicide Prevention Resource Center executive director Shelby Rowe told the New York Times. “But you’re not going to get help.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

Related: Parents of OpenAI Whistleblower Don't Believe He Died By Suicide, Order Second Autopsy [SFist]

Image: CHONGQING, CHINA - AUGUST 9: In this photo illustration, a person holds a smartphone displaying the ChatGPT logo on its screen in front of a blurred OpenAI logo on August 9, 2025 in Chongqing, China. (Photo illustration by Cheng Xin/Getty Images)

On June 30, Oakland citizens were alerted via the Citizen app that someone was hanging from a tree near Bridgeview Trail. Police quickly deemed it a suicide, but residents are demanding more transparency. No press releases have been issued, and only one news outlet has reported on the case so far.

As the Oaklandside reports, police found a deceased Black man hanging from a tree near the trail in Dimond Canyon at 7:30 a.m. on June 30, noting that the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office — also serving as the coroner — initially led the investigation before transferring it to Oakland Police. “During the preliminary investigation, officers believe the individual died from self-harm,” a spokesperson told the outlet.

Oakland resident Kadie Kelly, who received the Citizen alert and later spoke with eyewitnesses, shared a series of Instagram posts urging the public to keep pressing local authorities and media for transparency and further investigation.

As YouTuber @Paralegal_ notes, there have been no official statements released beyond OPD's statement to the Oaklandside, which remains the only publication covering the incident.

As a commenter on one of Kadie Kelly's posts notes, it's very common for sheriffs to also serve as coroners in California. As NPR has reported, 49 of the state’s 58 counties have sheriffs who also serve as coroners. “Even if a forensic pathologist says someone was beaten to death — say a homicide — the sheriff-coroner can call it an accident,” NPR explained. “Critics say that's an inherent conflict of interest — especially when someone dies at the hands of law enforcement.”

On Instagram, Kelly shared that the FBI is aware of the case, and that she’s been in touch with Congresswoman Lateefah Simon. “Talk to the people you know,” she urged in a recent post. “Back in 2020 when Libby Schaaf was mayor and there were nooses found at Lake Merritt, she stated that these instances should immediately be considered hate crimes. Those in power have access to the information we do not have right now. But there are more eyewitnesses who need to come forward.”

Oakland Police are asking anyone with information to contact the Criminal Investigations Division at (510) 238-3821.

Top image via Google Maps

Two years after 17-year-old Ryan Last of San Jose took his own life, authorities have arrested four men in Côte d’Ivoire for their alleged roles in an international sextortion scheme that targeted thousands, including minors.

Ryan Last, a senior at Ann Sobrato High School, died by suicide in February 2022 after being blackmailed online. He had communicated with someone he believed was a young woman, who sent him explicit images and encouraged him to reciprocate. Once he did, the scammer demanded $5,000, threatening to release the images publicly. After Ryan paid $150, the demands continued. Hours later, he ended his life.

“His note apologized for not being smarter,” Ryan’s mother Pauline Stuart told ABC7. “He believed in somebody and that devastates me that he felt that he wasn’t smart because somebody took advantage of him.”

According to KRON4, the U.S. Department of Justice identified Alfred Kassi, an Ivorian national, as the main perpetrator. He was arrested on April 29 by local authorities, who found the sextortion messages to Ryan still on his phone. Côte d’Ivoire does not extradite its citizens, so Kassi and three alleged accomplices—Oumarou Ouedraogo, Moussa Diaby, and Oumar Cisse—will be prosecuted under Ivorian cybercrime laws.

Ouedraogo is accused of laundering money extorted from Ryan. Diaby and Cisse reportedly admitted to their own involvement in sexual extortion. A fifth man, Jonathan Kassi (unrelated to Alfred), was arrested in California in 2022 and later sentenced to 18 months in jail for his role in the broader scheme.

The investigation involved the FBI, San Jose Police Department, U.S. Embassy in Abidjan, and Meta, which the DOJ said provided critical information leading to the arrests.

Stuart, who had parental controls set on her son’s electronics, has urged parents to speak with their children about the dangers of online scams: “Make them understand that not everybody that reaches out to them is who they say they are.”

Image: Julian Christ/Unsplash

SF’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has submitted their autopsy report, and it says the November 26 death of OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji was from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, though this may not satisfy his family who have been convinced otherwise.  

When 26-year-old engineer Suchir Balaji was found dead in his Lower Haight apartment in November, the death was initially ruled a suicide. But there was some skepticism about this conclusion, as just about a month before, Balaji had been one of the primary whistleblowers in a New York Times exposé alleging that OpenAI has illegally used copyrighted works to train its tool ChatGPT. And the primary skeptics of the suicide explanation are Balaji’s Bay Area parents, who have steadfastly maintained that Balaji did not take his own life, that he was happy prior to his death, and they suspect foul play.

But now the Examiner reports that SF’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) has announced they’ve submitted their autopsy report, and that office continues to insist that Balaji died by suicide. That announcement came in the form of a letter to Balaji’s parents, according to the family’s attorneys.  

“The SFPD and OCME have thoroughly reviewed this matter,” SFPD Chief Bill Scott and Medical Examiner’s Office executive director David Serrano Sewell both wrote in the letter. “The OCME found no evidence or information to establish a cause and manner of death for Mr. Balaji other than a suicide by self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head."

“SFPD conducted an independent investigation and based on the information SFPD reviewed, there is insufficient evidence to find Mr. Balaji's death was the result of a homicide,” the letter adds.

The letter seems to have been sent in response to a lawsuit from Balaji’s family demanding more records of the investigation, though it doesn't seem likely the family will withdraw that lawsuit.

According to the autopsy, Balaji had both alcohol and amphetamine in his system at the time that he died, and police investigations found that he had been conducting internet searches on brain anatomy topics. The investigations also found Balaji had gunshot residue on both of his hands, and his DNA was found on the gun that was discovered beneath his leg. Police say they’ve also determined that that was the gun that Balaji used, which he did own legally.

Moreover, police insist that no one had come or gone from Balaji’s apartment, and his door was locked with a deadbolt. Electronic key records and video surveillance show no sign that anyone else had come into the apartment, SFPD says.  

Balaji’s parents have not responded to the letter, and the Bay Area News Group says the family is “analyzing the report’s findings.” The family has had a second autopsy performed, which they say indicates the case was a murder, though they have not yet made those autopsy results public. Still, the case has generated significant interest and skepticism about the claims of suicide, with skeptics all across the political spectrum, from Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk, to Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna and SF’s District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder.  

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

Related: Parents of OpenAI Whistleblower Don't Believe He Died By Suicide, Order Second Autopsy [SFist]

Image: @RaoPoornima via Twitter

While the SFPD ruled that the November death of SF engineer and OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji was a suicide, his family has their doubts. And now they’re suing the SFPD for the release of the case’s investigative records.

San Francisco’s unofficial favorite conspiracy theory for the last two months has been to question the cause of death of 26-year-old former OpenAI engineer Suchir Balaji, who was found dead in his Lower Haight apartment in mid-November. And the skepticism might be well-placed, despite SF Police quickly ruling there was no evidence of foul play.

Yet Balaji had been a primary whistleblower in an October exposé in the New York Times alleging then OpenAI had engaged in massive copyright theft in order to create its ChatGPT tool, and Balaji seemed a likely witness on their behalf on the Times’ ongoing federal lawsuit against OpenAI. Balaji’s parents commissioned a second, independent autopsy in late December, convinced their son did not take his own life.

Now the Examiner reports that Balaji’s parents have sued the SF Police Department (and the City of San Francisco) demanding all full records of the investigation.  The tweet above is from his mother, Poornima Rao. You’ll notice she’s tagged public right-wing celebrity figures like Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk, and JD Vance. But the theory that there may be some dark involvement by OpenAI has found appeal across the political spectrum, drawing calls for further investigation from Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna and SF’s District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder.  

“In the two-plus months since their son’s passing, Petitioners and their counsel have been stymied at every turn as they have sought more information about the cause of and circumstances surrounding Suchir’s tragic death,” the parents’ legal filing says. “This petition, they hope, is the beginning of the end of that obstruction.”

The lawsuit calls out what the family’s attorney’s say is a contradiction, in determining that Balaji’s death was a suicide, but also not yet releasing a police report because  they say theu have non concluded an investigation.

The SF Medical Examiner’s Office has not released their forensic autopsy report, but that's typical, as these are often released a few months after the deceased has passed. The SF City Attorney's said in a statement to the Examiner that “Mr. Balaji’s death is a tragedy, and our hearts go out to his family,” and added, “Once we are served, we will review the complaint and respond appropriately.”

But Bay Area News Group details the family’s reasons for suspicion. They note Balaji left no suicide note, and had spoken to his family just four days before his death, giving no indication anything was wrong. They also argue that the SF Medical Examiner spent only 40 minutes in Balaji’s apartment before ruling the death suicide.  

The family did get that second autopsy performed, and the lawsuit references that it found bullet wounds that were “atypical and uncommon in suicides.” That said, that’s the only public reference to that second autopsy, whose results the parents have declined to share with news organizations who’ve requested it.  

And this lawsuit may not get far. As the Examiner points out, police records are generally not subject to Public Records Act requests.

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

Related: Parents of OpenAI Whistleblower Don't Believe He Died By Suicide, Order Second Autopsy [SFist]

Image: @RaoPoornima via Twitter

14-year-old Jose Zamora’s short tenure at Santa Clara High School came to a tragic end last week, as the freshman took his own life after weeks of taunting for living at a homeless shelter and being raised by a single father.

We have an absolutely gut-wrenching story out of Santa Clara, where KTVU reports a 14-year-old boy died by suicide after classmates bullied him for being homeless. The youngster in question is Jose Zamora, a freshman who’s been attending Santa Clara High School for only three months.

Zamora was also a member of the school’s junior varsity football team, and after his death by suicide a week ago today, his father learned that his teammates had been bullying him for being homeless, and for not having a mother in hs life.

"They were spitting on him, hitting him on the back of the helmet," his father Jose Bautista told KTVU, sobbing with grief. "It's kind of hard. I just don't want this to happen to other people like it happened to me."

After his father struggled to find housing after an eviction, the younger Jose Zamora had been staying at a Santa Clara nonprofit counseling center and shelter known as the Bill Wilson Center. Apparently, his football teammates got word of this.

The Santa Clara Unified School District and the local police department say they’re investigating.

"Administrators have already taken initial actions in response,” Santa Clara Unified Superintendent Gary Waddell said in a statement to KTVU. “We in no way condone bullying, harassment, or retribution of any kind and take any such allegations seriously. We strive to provide as many facts as possible to the community while preserving our duty to protect the privacy and confidentiality of both students and families."

Zamora’s family has started a GoFundMe to help with the costs of the 14-year-old’s funeral and burial.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text "988" any time day or night to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or chat online.

Related: Listen: JV’s WILD 94.9 DJ Colleagues Speak On Air as They Learn of His Passing, Wife Breaks Silence [SFist]

Image: DanielPenfield via Wikimedia Commons

There are more questions than answers about the hanging death of 34-year-old Randy Dudley, whose body was discovered hanging from a tree at a Bernal Height park Tuesday morning, but authorities have made a preliminary ruling that it was a suicide.

Mission District resident Randy Dudley had just moved back to SF in December, after stints in LA and New York where he’d served as an intern on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and had studied on scholarships at both the New York Film Institute and Parsons School of Design. And on Thursday, the HIV-positive Dudley was set to begin another internship at the San Francisco AIDS Foundation. But that promising future has been brought to a tragic halt, as Mission Local reports Dudley was found dead hanging from a tree early Tuesday morning. He was 34.

When a Black man is found hanged, there are obviously going to be worries that this was a brutal hate crime, particularly after a separate Mission Local report that a Black man had found a racist doll and death threats on his porch last week. But while Mission Local confirmed with SFPD sources that the hanging victim was Dudley, the SFPD itself said that there is “no evidence of foul play suspected at this time,” and the preliminary ruling of his death is a suicide.  

Dudley was discovered by a jogger Tuesday morning near the Esmeralda stairs and slide near Bernal Heights Park, and officers responded just after 7 am. His housemate Michael Rouppet told Mission Local that the jogger “said he went out for a run at 6:30, saw someone behind a tree — didn’t think too much about it.” But Rouppet added, “when he came back 30 minutes later, the person was still there. But then he realized the person was not alive.”

The SF Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet confirmed the death as a suicide, though that has been SFPD’s preliminary ruling. Mission Local was in contact with his sister Chanell Dudley, and that site reports “she was inclined to believe the preliminary ruling.”

If you have any information regarding this, you’re asked to call the SFPD Tip Line at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with “SFPD.” Tipsters can remain anonymous.

If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call or text "988" any time day or night to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or chat online.

Related: Former SF AIDS Foundation Employee Brutally Murdered in New York City [SFist]

Image: Camille B via Yelp

They may be four years late and $148 million over budget, but the Golden Gate Bridge’s suicide prevention barriers are now fully in place on both sides of the bridge’s entire 1.7-mile span.

The idea to install suicide prevention nets on the Golden Gate Bridge, which has long been a frequently used destination for suicide jumps, saw the suicide barriers approved way back in 2014. The expected completion date was 2019, and the initial cost estimate was $76 million. As any Bay Area government infrastructure project goes, it started years behind schedule, experienced numerous further delays, and its costs went far over budget (coming in at $224 million).

But the day has arrived, to the relief of suicide prevention advocates. KGO reports that the Golden Gate Bridge suicide prevention nets are now complete, and fully cover both sides of the entire 1.7-mile span of the bridge.      

“As of January 1, 2024, the Golden Gate Bridge now has a continuous physical suicide barrier installed the full length of the 1.7-mile span,” the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District announced in a Wednesday press release. “The purpose of the net is to reduce the number of deaths associated with individuals jumping off the Bridge. The net is a proven design that deters people from jumping, serves as a symbol of care and hope to despondent individuals, and, if necessary, offers people a second chance.”

A few people who’ve jumped — and survived — insist that the net would have stopped them.  

"I would have hesitated,” Kevin Hines told KGO (Hines is known for his 2000 jump where a sea lion allegedly helped save him). “I believe with enough time for patrol officers to wonder why is that kid just standing there leaning over the rail crying his eyes out."

While the barriers are actually only 95% complete, there is now something in place to prevent suicides on 100% of the bridge. And it's not a soft bouncy net, it’s stainless steel. “The net consists of marine-grade stainless steel netting installed 20 feet below the sidewalks and extending out 20 feet over the water,” according to the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District. “Jumping into the net is designed to be painful and may result in significant injury."

But psychiatrists are not entirely sold on the effectiveness of such barriers, as many people may easily seek to commit suicide elsewhere.  

“Installing barriers on bridges that have been “suicide magnets” robustly reduces or even eliminates suicide deaths from those locations, but the impact on overall suicide rates remains less clear,” Dr. John Kruse wrote in Clinical Psychiatry News. “Various studies (e.g., in Maine, in Toronto, in England) have found subsequent increases or no changes in suicide deaths from adjacent bridges or tall buildings after the installation of suicide barriers. Many of these studies failed to find any change in overall suicide rates in the regions investigated.”

That said, the barrier has already reduced suicide deaths on the Goden Gate Bridge, even during 2023 when it was mostly just 75% complete. The bridge has averaged 30 suicides a year over the last 20 years. But in 2023, there were only 14 confirmed suicides.

And perhaps there will be even fewer every year going forward.

If you are in crisis, dial the national Crisis and Suicide Lifeline at 988 on any phone, or text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the national lifeline by dialing 988 or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.

Related: Golden Gate Bridge Suicide Prevention Nets Already Reducing Deaths, Despite Not Being Complete [SFist]

Image: SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 07: A Golden Gate Bridge patrol officer drives by the newly installed suicide prevention barrier on the Golden Gate Bridge on November 07, 2023 in San Francisco, California. A suicide prevention barrier made of a net of stainless steel cables on the Golden Gate Bridge is nearing completion after 6 years. The project originally projected to cost $76 million has ballooned to over $215 million and is expected to be finished by the end of the year. An estimated 30 to 40 people jumped from the bridge each year prior to the construction of the netting compared to 6 so far this year. Since the Golden Gate Bridge was built in 1937, an estimated 2,000 people have jumped to their deaths from the span. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The number of deaths by suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge has decreased remarkably as work on the suicide prevention nets continues, and the barriers are expected to be fully installed by the end of the year.

Installation of the Golden Gate Bridge suicide prevention nets has been going on for more than six years, which is way behind schedule, but the barriers are nearly completed. Bay City News reports that the network of steel cables connecting netting 20 feet below the bridge’s pedestrian walkways is now 75% complete, and “is expected to be finished by the end of this year.”

But far more importantly, that same report notes a significant reduction in deaths by suicide on the bridge in recent months, likely attributable to the prevention nets. In the first six months of 2023, there have been only five confirmed deaths by suicide on the bridge. That’s compared to 22 such deaths all of last year, and an average of 30-40 a year prior to 2019, according to the suicide prevention group Bridge Rail Foundation that has long advocated for the prevention barriers.    

"It's been a long hard haul, and I'm delighted that the net is going forward and that suicides have decreased," Bridge Rail Foundation co-founder David Hull told Bay City News.

This is the best news in a long time for the much-delayed suicide prevention net project. Last we reported on the matter in February of this year, the project’s contractors were suing the Bridge Highway and Transportation District for $195 million, claiming they’ve had to shoulder the costs of design flaws and deteriorating bridge components. (That case is still pending.) And of course, it was originally a $76 million project that has ballooned to having a price tag of well over $200 million, plus its completion is now four years behind the original schedule.

There is also an argument that the nets won’t really even save any lives, because people will just find other methods to take their own lives. Suicide prevention advocates don’t buy it.

"It's been demonstrated over and over again in suicide research that usually when people decide to kill themselves, they have a plan, place and time," Hull told Bay City News. "And if that is denied them for some reason, they don't typically find a different plan and complete a suicide.

"We're programmed to live," he explained. "And if we can get past that moment, life will re-assert itself."

If you are in crisis, text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.

Related: That Suicide Prevention Net Along Golden Gate Bridge Won't Be Done for at Least Another Year [SFist]

Image: SAN FRANCISCO - JANUARY 27: People look at the Golden Gate Bridge as the sun rises January 27, 2005 in San Francisco. A controversial film made by moviemaker Eric Steel documenting people committing suicide off of the Golden Gate Bridge has opened a debate about why there isn't a suicide barrier on the famous landmark. Over 1,300 people have jumped to their death from the span since the bridge opened in 1937. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Alameda County District Attorney's Office announced Friday that it had filed felony charges against two sheriff's deputies for allegedly falsifying records in connection to a jail suicide. It also separately filed charges against a correctional officer for allegedly performing sex acts on a minor.

The charges were brought forward by a new unit called the Public Accountability Unit, created by the new D.A. Pamela Price, who was elected in 2022. The unit aims to hold law enforcement and public officials accountable for misconduct. It was tasked with reviewing eight officer-involved shootings and in-custody deaths from its inception at the beginning of this year, according to authorities.

Now, Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputy Sheri Baughman, 49, and Deputy Amanda Bracamontes, 30, face charges in connection to the 2021 suicide of Vinetta Martin at the Santa Rita Jail, as the Chronicle reported. Martin was arrested for assault in July 2020, but had been awaiting a psych evaluation to determine if she was competent to stand trial for nearly a year before she told staff she intended to commit suicide. Standard procedure requires that officials conduct direct visual observation checks every 30 minutes — but these were reportedly never completed. Martin was found dead by suicide in her cell about three weeks later.

Prosecutors are alleging that Baughman and Bracamontes doctored the jail’s logbooks to make it seem like they followed procedure, as video evidence reportedly shows that they repeatedly failed to check on Martin for extended periods of time, such as for nearly two hours.

The other charges have been brought against a juvenile institutional officer with the Alameda County Probation Department. The D.A.’s office is alleging that 50-year-old Nicole Perales had oral sex with a 15-year-old who was in custody at the Alameda Juvenile Justice Center between 2004 and 2005, as KTVU reported. She also faces charges of willfully and unlawfully performing a lewd and lascivious act on the same child — which altogether could mean up to three years and eight months behind bars, according to KTVU.

Feature image via Jesstess87/Wikimedia Commons.

Some riveting and heartbreaking radio happened on WILD 94.9FM Thursday, as the crew of the JV Show broke the news of Jeffrey "JV" Vandergrift’s confirmed death as they were on the air — and his wife has spoken out in a gut-wrenching social media post.

In the near-month that WILD 94.9 DJ Jeffrey “JV” Vandergrift has been missing, we became more aware that the 55-year-old Fremont native had been suffering from Lyme Disease, and experienced a symptom known as brain fog, which creates memory loss and disorientation. Days after his disappearance, his wife and fellow WILD 94.9 personality Natasha Yi released a statement that “personal information has recently been discovered that leads us to believe JV will not be coming back.” Those fears were confirmed Thursday morning when a body found floating near Pier 39 was identified as JV.

Early Friday morning, Natashi Yi spoke on social media about what she’s gong through. “I struggle to write this to you as I can barely breathe or see through the pain and tears. As many of you have already heard, the SFPD found JV,” she said. “I am devastated that the love of my life is gone. But what I do know is that JV loved his work and he loved connecting with all of you. He loved his family, and I know he loved me as much as I love him. Our bond was truly unmatched.”

“JV did not want to leave any of us,” she added.

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A post shared by Natasha Yi 🦄💗🦋 (@natashayi)

The crew of the JV Show learned the terrible news while on the air, and had to break it to JV’s legions of fans in a segment you can listen to online. (That weekday morning show, on since 2009, is still called “The JV Show.”) Co-hosts Selena and Graham struggle through anguish and tears, while still forcing the occasional taglines like “The Bay’s Number One hit music station,” in a raw and emotional on-air segment.

“I’m going to need your help, Graham,” Selena says to her co-host.“Breaking news this morning, I’m reading it here on KTVU Fox 2 that they confirmed that [the body found] was JV.”

“I thought the hard part was over. We came back this week and talked about regular stuff and stupid Vanderpump Rules,” she struggles to say. “He was happy, he was healthy, that’s how I’m going to continue to remember him, pre-Lyme. Let’s just continue to please, please, please think of Natasha and send her all of your love and positivity to his mom and sister. So just please just continue to think of them.”

“Most people listening had no idea what he was going through off the air,” Graham adds. “Selena, you and I saw it each day. It was magic what he was doing, that he was still able to still come to the show and deliver what he was. Because in between, in commercials and songs, he was broken.”

If you are in crisis, text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional

Related: Body Found Near Pier 39 Identified as Missing Wild 94.9 Host JV [SFist]

Image: @NatashaYi via Twitter

BART's Balboa Park Station in San Francisco temporarily closed on Friday after a man reportedly jumped underneath a train — which brought multiple police officers and firefighters to the scene.

On Saturday, we reported that a "major medical emergency" caused system-wide delays on BART and prompted one train to be completely evacuated at the Balboa Park Station. At the time, no details were released on the specifics of the medical emergency.

However, over the weekend, BART shared that the medical emergency involved a man who had jumped on the train tracks in an apparent suicide attempt.

According to KRON4, a train controller reported a man underneath the train at the station. Once alerted, multiple first responders arrived on the scene to search for the victim; witnesses had prior reported seeing the man jumping down onto the track as the train was coming.

The victim was eventually located — injured but still alert. The man was promptly taken to a nearby hospital and placed on an involuntarily 5150 hold, which allows an adult who is experiencing a mental health crisis to be involuntarily detained for a 72-hour psychiatric hospitalization hold when found to be a danger to others, or to himself, or herself, or themselves.

Related: 'Major Medical Emergency' Causes System-Wide Delays on BART

Photo: Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

If you are in crisis, text "BAY" to 741741 for free, 24/7, confidential crisis support from Crisis Text Line. And if you or someone you know is having suicidal thoughts, you or they should call the San Francisco Suicide Prevention crisis line at 415-781-0500.

If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.