Suicide at New York Mall Shows Tragic Pattern; What Can be Done?

A mall in the lower Hudson Valley region of New York was the scene of another grizzly suicide this weekend.

There have been at least nine suicides at the Palisades Center Mall in recent years and the public continues to wonder if more can be done to prevent them.

According to reports, the most recent suicide occurred on Sunday afternoon. Anyone who's been to the Palisades Center Mall knows that this is one of the busiest times of the week when families are shopping or enjoying the many entertainment areas of the shopping center.

Police were called to the mall after reports of a man who lept from the roof just after 3:30pm. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

History of Suicides at the Palisades Center Mall

Unfortunately, there has been a pattern of deaths caused by people jumping over the railings at the Palisades Center Mall. This past July, a woman leaped to her death from the fourth floor. It was first reported that the woman had fallen but it was later revealed that the incident was suicide.

In 2021 a similar death occurred when a woman fell from the fourth floor and was discovered in the basement floor near Dick's Sporting Goods.

After a suicide in 2017, there were calls to do something to prevent so many suicides at the Palisades Center. The mall is much higher than most of the two-floor malls that are scattered across the Hudson Valley area. For that reason, it has become the scene of at least nine suicides that have been reported since 2005.

What Can Be Done to Prevent Suicides at the Palisades Center Mall?

While there's been lots of talk about the subject, there doesn't appear to be much the Palisades Center Mall can realistically do to prevent people who are determined to jump from the railings.

A similar issue occurred at the Vessel in New York City. The $200 million art piece that allowed people to climb on its winding staircases was closed to the public in 2021 after three suicides occurred in the two years after it opened. The Hudson Yards attraction reopened with added security, signs advertising the suicide prevention hotline and a system that didn't allow people to enter the structure without a partner. Unfortunately, in just a few months another suicide occurred. The Vessel was indefinitely closed to the public.

Aside from closing the Palisades Center Mall, which is not a realistic option, there haven't been any solutions presented to stop these tragedies from happening.

Those who are contemplating suicide can speak to someone 24 hours a day thanks to New York State's Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. If there's not a friend or family member that you're comfortable reaching out to, simply dial 988 and you'll be connected with someone willing to listen.