Suicide from Downtown Santa Monica Parking Structure Two

A woman reportedly jumped off Parking Structure Two Sunday morning. Her suicide attempt was successful, onlookers said. Santa Monica police responded to the suicide itself, but have not yet confirmed the woman's death.

There have been a spate of recent suicides from the parking structures in downtown Santa Monica in the last few years, with about ten reported in 2019. The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco has long been a magnet for suicides, but was able to reduce the number of suicides through higher barriers.

Federal regulators are setting up a new three-digit number for a suicide prevention hotline in order to make it easier to seek help and to reduce the stigma associated with mental illness.

Once it’s implemented, people will just need to dial 988 to seek help, similar to calling 911 for emergencies or 311 for city services. Currently, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline uses a 10-digit number, 800-273-TALK (8255). Callers are routed to one of 163 crisis centers where counselors answered 2.2 million calls last year.

A 2018 law required the Federal Communications Commission to study assigning a three-digit number for suicide prevention. The FCC said in a report that there is overwhelming support for a three-digit number because it would be easier for distressed people to get help.