Four current and former deputies from the same sheriff’s office in Texas have died by apparent suicide over a six-week period, according to officials.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office deputies were all found dead between Feb. 6 and March 19.
In the first incident, retired Deputy Long Nguyen died by apparent suicide on Feb. 6, ABC 13 reported, citing officials.
Deputy Christina Kohler, who had been missing for more than a week, was found dead by apparent suicide on March 13.
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Three days later, former Deputy Maria Vasquez’s body was discovered. The Houston Medical Examiner ruled that Vasquez, who retired from the agency in December, died by apparent suicide.
On March 19, retired Deputy William Bozeman also died by apparent suicide after 24 years at the Harris County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Ed Gonzalez mourned the reported suicides of his deputies.
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“Today we learned of a Harris County Sheriff’s Office retiree who died from an apparent suicide. This makes three for us within the span of a week,” Gonzalez wrote on Facebook.
“Our hearts are heavy. We extend our deepest condolences to their families, colleagues, and friends. It’s a painful reminder that life is fragile and time is not promised,” he continued.
The president of the Harris County Deputies’ Organization, Jose Lopez, said the deputies’ deaths “caught a lot of us by surprise.”
“One is too many. Two? Three? Yes, it’s definitely devastating,” Lopez said.
“It hits very close to home, and it’s a reminder to us of how fragile life is, and it’s also a reminder that we do need to look out for each other. We do need to take care of each other,” Lopez added.
The sheriff’s office has launched mental health initiatives to address the recent trend. Lopez said he has also been helping his fellow deputies process the grief.
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