Suicide Baiting Crowd - Victim

My posts on this blog focus on my studies on philosophy and social psychology. However, the present post is an exception triggered by the reply (to a previous post of mine) of a mother whose son was victim of a suicide baiting crowd. Here I point out the need to educate people about which actions they should take in case they find themselves amidst a suicide baiting crowd. I do so by focusing on the case of Dylan Yount.

The social psychological phenomenon known as suicide baiting crowd refers to crowds present at a site where a person threatens to jump off a building, a bridge, a tower or any other sort of elevated place. The crowd is referred to as baiting because they induce and taunt the victim to jump; and often  behaves like being present in an entertainment place, with total absence of respect and consideration to the victim and maliciously encourages the victim to suicide by yelling ‘jump’ or making fun of the victim.

There are many reports of such a phenomenon. One of such reports is the case of Dylan Yount (32 years old) who was a victim of a suicide baiting crowd in Hallidie Plaza, San Francisco on 2/16/2010. I traced three bystander witnesses reports about the case. The first one was stated by Mat Thomas who was  one of the bystander suicide witnesses and he gives a vivid description about the suicide baiting crowd:

This nightmarish scenario was disturbing enough, but far worse was overhearing numerous young people actually laughing and saying things like “Oh shit! Did you see that?!” and “That was so cool!” One twenty-something woman nearby even loudly bragged to her friend on a cell phone that “I was yelling ‘Jump! Jump!’ And then he jumped!” (Tomas, 2010).

His description emphasises the sadistic and irresponsible behaviour of a woman who not only entertained herself with Dylan, but also induced him to suicide by yelling ‘Jump! Jump! Another bystander witness is Nick LaMonica, and she describes the suicide baiting crowd in the following way:

“Some people in the back were yelling at him to jump,” said eyewitness Nick LaMonica. “They just said it once – it wasn’t like people were chanting it or anything.” (Luke Thomas, February, 17^th, 2010).

This demonstrates that many individuals were engaged on a sadistic behaviour at the suicide site. Reading such descriptions made me wonder why police authorities did not do something against such bystanders who induce the victim to jump?

In addition to that, another bystander witness made an onsite video footage about the case. A partial version of the video footage is available on you-tube, and can be watched in this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qvpVbWsUOtc.

This bystander witness reports what happened at the suicide site, and how the crowd behaved. He specifically emphasises a couple of bystanders (police officers off-duty) and the comment one of the officers made by referring to the situation as something that was not a ‘big-deal’.  In the video this bystander witness emphasises his disappointment with the attitude of the police officers present at the suicide site.

After Kathie Yount (Dylan’s mother) learned about such reports she decided to take action. The case is now in the court and you can see it in this link:

http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/california/candce/3:2011cv01141/238131/8/

The main reason I point out Dylan’s case and the decision of his mother to take the case to the tribunals is to demonstrate that it is necessary to take action against suicide baiting crowds. But here my focus is on what we shall do as individuals. What shall we do if one day we find ourselves amidst a suicide baiting crowd?

Here are few steps I think someone can take:

What to do if you find yourself amidst a suicide baiting crowd?

1. First be conscious that your action may save a life and prevent a suicide.
2. Locate the suicide baiting person (s) amidst the crowd.
3. Tell them to stop.
4. If you do not want to talk to them ask the police to tell them to stop.
5. If you are far away from any police officer call the attention of people around you about the malicious behaviour of others. Some people may decide to take action by asking them to stop.
6. If you have a mobile phone with you, record who they are and what they are saying.
7. Go to the nearest police station and give a copy of the tape recorder to them.
8. Do not ever be silent of feel intimidate. It is a human life at stake and the crowd attitude might impel the person to jump. So, be aware of what is happening in the crowd.

I finish this  post extending my condolences to Dylan’s mother, and wishing that Dylan may rest in peace.

Online entries about Dylan’s case:

 

Missouri Native Who Jumps to his Death in San Francisco Becomes Social Media Sensation

Public Influence: How Police Officers Have Prevented “Jump!” Chants By Albert Samaha Fri., Jan. 4 2013

Public Influence: “We’re Trained Not to Believe We Would Kill Ourselves.” By Albert Samaha Thu., Jan. 3 2013

Public Influence: The Immortalization of an Anonymous Death By Albert Samaha

Cops Accused of Joining Mobs Telling Man to Jump From Union Square Building; Mother Sues SFPD By Erin Sherbert Fri., Mar. 11 2011.

Forum discussion

SF Weekly chronicles the life of a man whose suicide was cheered on by onlookers and captured by social media.

How bystanders documented a suicide with a flood of tweets and images By Kimber Streams on January 4, 2013

Public Influence: The Immortalization of an Anonymous Death By Albert Samaha Wednesday, Jan 2 2013

Yount -v- City and County of San Francisco – Document 8

Witness to Suicide at Powell and Market TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2010

Man Jumps to his Death at Powell and Market by Luke Thomas