# Public suicide **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364 "2016-10-01T15:19:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/1 "2016-10-01T15:19:05Z")
i.e., someone (or perhaps two or three people) who commits suicide in front of an unsuspecting audience. An ultra-rare event, thankfully. Of the top of my head, the only one I can think of is Christine Chubbuck. Any others? ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/2 "2016-10-01T15:27:15Z")
[Budd Dwyer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Budd_Dwyer) ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/3 "2016-10-01T15:31:11Z")
Thích Quảng Đức - Vietnamese Buddhist monk who self-immolated on a street in Saigon to protest government persecution. You know the photo (if you don’t, it’s on the cover of Rage Against The Machine’s self-titled album). ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/4 "2016-10-01T15:33:42Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > [Budd Dwyer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Budd_Dwyer) I knew about this guy, but I didn’t realize that (per Wiki) it looks like he probably WAS framed for the crime, as he claimed. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/5 "2016-10-01T15:34:58Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > [Budd Dwyer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._Budd_Dwyer) The one I came in to mention. Also, the subject of Filter’s song, ‘Hey Man, Nice Shot.’ What is it with 90s rock bands and public acts of suicide? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/6 "2016-10-01T16:33:52Z")
If the audience doesn’t have to be at a theater or something like that, all the people who jump in front of a train or subway. ---
**Author:** ![Heracles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heracles/32/487_2.png) [@Heracles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heracles)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/7 "2016-10-01T17:57:42Z")
There was that guy, several years ago, who plunged into the river just above Niagara Falls [in view of a TV crew’s camera](https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2194&dat=19850601&id=ukw0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=i_UIAAAAIBAJ&pg=4529,29679&hl=fr). ETA: Turns out it was 1985. Darn, time flies. ---
**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/8 "2016-10-01T18:03:39Z")
I was on a lake Saimaa cruise a dozen years back when a guy on a very tall bridge waved to the people on the ship and then jumped to his death. Didn’t see it personally since I was inside the ship but a few of my relatives did. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/9 "2016-10-01T19:03:02Z")
How about [Kevin Whitrick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kevin_Whitrick), was broadcasting live to an Internet chat when he committed suicide by hanging himself. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/10 "2016-10-01T19:32:30Z")
[Donald Manes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Manes), disgraced Queens borough President, committed suicide in front of his family while talking with his psychiatrist. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/11 "2016-10-01T20:35:36Z")
n/m Christine Chubbuck was mentioned in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/12 "2016-10-01T20:44:12Z")
I seem to recall a slice of footage of some guy blowing his head off with a shotgun on some freeway, live on TeeVee in the afternoon. It turned out to be part of the impetus to … something, I don’t know. Seven second delay? Or no live shots before labor day unless you’re wearing white? I can’t remember. Anyway, I don’t really want to search for that. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2016, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/13 "2016-10-01T22:55:11Z")
> **[Top 10 People Who Committed Suicide In Public - Listverse](https://listverse.com/2007/12/24/top-10-people-who-committed-suicide-in-public/)** > > Christmas Competition: 2nd Place. Congratulations to Samehrocks for this great (albeit macabre) list - he has won the second prize of a 1GB Apple iPod ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/14 "2016-10-02T01:19:42Z")
Yukio Mishima? Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk ---
**Author:** ![Guest-starring\_Id](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guest-starring_id/32/21736_2.png) [@Guest-starring\_Id](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guest-starring_Id)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/15 "2016-10-02T03:44:03Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > The one I came in to mention. Also, the subject of Filter’s song, ‘Hey Man, Nice Shot.’ > > What is it with 90s rock bands and public acts of suicide? [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4vlZbfaPgTI) ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/16 "2016-10-02T06:06:23Z")
[Michael Edward Pickels jumped from a roof](http://archives.sfweekly.com/shookdown/2010/08/20/updated-man-dives-onto-stage-in-suicide-at-thursdays-swell-season-concert) onto the stage at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, CA during a concert. He landed near the lead singer Glen Hansard, who was performing with Marketa Irglova. They are the stars of the movie “[Once](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_(film)),” which won the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/17 "2016-10-02T06:34:21Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > i.e., someone (or perhaps two or three people) who commits suicide in front of an unsuspecting audience. > > An ultra-rare event, thankfully. > > Of the top of my head, the only one I can think of is Christine Chubbuck. > > Any others? The plane hitting the South Tower on 9/11, too, but I don’t think that’s quite in the vein of what you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/18 "2016-10-02T07:56:07Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I seem to recall a slice of footage of some guy blowing his head off with a shotgun on some freeway, live on TeeVee in the afternoon. It turned out to be part of the impetus to … something, I don’t know. Seven second delay? Or no live shots before labor day unless you’re wearing white? I can’t remember. > > Anyway, I don’t really want to search for that. I think the incident mentioned at the bottom of this wiki is what I was thinking of: [_Shepard Smith Reporting_](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shepard_Smith_Reporting#History) So I guess it wasn’t really the impetus for anything, other than more Shep’s twinkly eyes on TeeVee, but there was some controversy surrounding its airing. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2016, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/public-suicide/767364/19 "2016-10-02T09:18:00Z")
A friend of a friend committed suicide on the roadside in Malaysia - first buying a container of petrol from the nearby station, walking 50 metres down the road and then self immolating…