When someone dies by suicide, research shows that a gun is most likely to be involved.
According to a report in Annals of Internal Medicine, that firearms are the most lethal form of suicide in the country. A majority of firearms deaths — 60% — are attributed to suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In young people, the statistics are even more troubling: Household gun ownership accounts for more than half of youth suicides age 14-18 years old.
“Suicide is something that people don’t like talking about, because there’s this shame associated with it, but it’s one of the top-10 leading causes of death in the United States,” said Damon Cox, a member of the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County. “In Indiana, we have the third-highest youth suicide rate in the nation. About 20 percent of Hoosier students report having thoughts of suicide. There are a lot of young people having suicidal thoughts.”
To help people better understand the connection between guns and suicide, and to ensure that gun owners keep those firearms safe, residents are encouraged to attend a free gun safety workshop held at the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office training facility. The event, Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County, will be held at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 16 at the training facility, 1061 Hospital Road.
Participants will learn basic safety measures such as gun locks, safety mechanisms and storage from Deputy DJ Neutzman, a certified firearms instructor with the sheriff’s office.
Organizers hope that the workshop will be one piece in helping reduce the number of suicides.
“Something like firearm safety is really just a small portion of a bigger conversation of suicide prevention. It’s a small thing we’re doing in this bigger picture,” said Cox, who is also assistant director at Johnson County Juvenile Community Corrections. “This class is gauged to teach firearm safety and make them realize that while firearms are a wonderful tool when they’re used correctly, they can also be dangerous.”
The Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County is a community group of volunteers that brings together from a variety of different organizations, with the goal of preventing suicide by educating the community, while using its resources to increase awareness and decrease stigma.
Formed in the spring of 2019, the coalition aims to build a culture of hope and resilience in our effort to decrease stigma and stop suicide.
“We work to reduce suicide in Johnson County and talk about something that a lot of people don’t want to talk about,” Cox said.
Health statistics show that such a group is needed in the county. In 2017, the most recent year county suicide statistics are available, Johnson County had a suicide rate of 14.3 per 100,000 population, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Throughout the state, suicide rates have risen steadily from 2012, from 13.5 per 100,000 people that year to 14.5 in 2015 to 16.6 last year.
The Suicide Prevention Coalition has focused on helping the community understand the warning signs of suicide, and how to address those signs in loved ones and friends. One of their primary tools has been QPR Gatekeeper trainings — short for Question, Persuade, Refer.
Participants are learning how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer someone to help.
The training is aimed at going more in-depth about what those signs are and what to do if you see them in a friend or loved one.
“We go out in the community and teach this because it’s three easy steps to talk to someone about suicide prevention,” Cox said. “We’re going to question their suicidal feelings, persuade them live and refer them to help. Training someone in QPR can really help save someone’s life.”
But coalition members wanted to expand their educational outreach, as well. That led to the creation of the gun safety workshop.
“I’ve been in situations where kids have threatened suicide or attempted suicide with a firearm, and the parents said over and over again that they don’t have access to a firearm or know how to use it,” Cox said.
The coalition has enlisted Neutzman to lead the course. He is a specialist in safe gun handling — an Indiana Law Enforcement Academy firearms instructor, National Rifle Association instructor for civilian and law enforcement, primary instructor for the Shooting Institute of Indiana, a firearms instructor for the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and a former competitor of the U.S. Practical Shooting Association.
Neutzman will help participants create a plan for the safe storage of firearms in their homes. Each of the participants will also receive a free gun lock at the end of the workshop, as well.
“He’s going to go over the basics of how each firearm has different safety mechanism, where to put firearms so that children don’t get ahold of them, what you can do in your home to talk to everyone about firearm safety,” said Shannon Cooper, recorder for the Suicide Prevention Coalition and a probation officer for Johnson County Juvenile Probation.
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Basic safety of firearms workshop
What: A free community workshop to offer basic firearm safety, such as safety mechanisms, proper storage and discussing safety within the home. The course will be taught by Johnson County Sheriff’s Deputy DJ Neutzman and is organized by the Suicide Prevention Coalition of Johnson County.
Why: Firearms are the most lethal means of suicide in the United States. Household gun ownership accounts for more than half of youth suicides age 14-18 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
When: 6:30-7:30 p.m. Nov. 16
Where: Johnson County Sheriff’s Office training facility, 1061 Hospital Road, Franklin
How to register: Go to hope4johnsoncounty.eventbrite.com
Other information: Firearms are not permitted in the course as this is an educational course taught by professionals. Face coverings are required.
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