# Have people ever died on air?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 7, 2003, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251 "2003-06-07T04:20:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251/61 "2003-06-10T12:32:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by samboy \*  
> \*\*Does anyone remember in “Bowling for Columbine” where there are a series of quick sub second clips shown.
> 
> Does anyone remember that bit in the film? Or know who it was who blew his face off? \*\*

It was indeed the late Mr Dwyer. I guess they were looking for any shocking footage featuring guns and it certainly fitted the bill.

IIRC during the winter olympics there was a fatality during the womans long jump. Can’t remember the name of the woman but her fall was shown live on TV, she died on impact from a broken neck.

I guess you can count the numerous wars and terrorist coverages on news networks. Most of the time its just a puff of smoke or and aerial shot of a building collapsing but people still die.

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**Author:** ![dantheman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dantheman/32/9421_2.png) [@dantheman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dantheman)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251/62 "2003-06-10T12:36:59Z")

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**samclem** , I was in 11th grade, yep. Doesn’t mean I wasn’t home sick, though!

I do remember there being a major brouhaha over the broadcasting of it at all, so I guess it’s more likely it was shown on tape later.

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**Author:** ![Yuki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@Yuki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yuki)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251/63 "2003-06-10T15:01:43Z")

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I’m surprised noone’s mentioned (or if they did, I missed it) the news anchor who shot themselves on live tv. I didn’t see it myself but I read about it. Pulled a gun out and shot themselves during the news.

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**Author:** ![Trjckster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Trjckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trjckster)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-people-ever-died-on-air/180251/64 "2003-06-10T15:12:01Z")

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Although it wasn’t strictly television, there is [Brandon Russell’s suicide](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=%2Fnews%2F2003%2F02%2F09%2Fwsuic09.xml) which was watched by a dozen people by webcam, theres no mention of it being recorded but I don’t think any of the watchers would admit it.

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