El Paso County sees significant drop in suicides in 2024

By Erin Bowling, FOX 21 News

The recently released 2024 coroner’s report shows the yearly suicide rate in El Paso County is down 17.9%. It’s a significant decrease after having the most suicides in our state in 2023.

“Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness,” said Colonel (Ret.) Robert “Bob” McLaughlin, Executive Director of the Mt. Carmel Veterans Service Center.

This week, local experts joined together to break down the statistics and discuss how to continue to lower the rates of suicide.

“Nearly eight in 10 of those deaths were men, and nearly one in four had a history of military service. Firearms are involved in 60% of deaths and slightly down from 65% in 2023, but still well above state and national averages,” said David Galvan, with the Steering Committee for the Suicide Prevention Collaborative of El Paso County.