Possible suicide attempt averted, Sooners show support for student

OU Police use caution tape to block off a section of the Walker-Adams Mall, where students gather to view a student sitting on a ledge on the 12th floor of Tarman Tower of Adams Center. Photo by Tony Ragle, Art Director

The man broke out a window in a 12th-floor lounge in Tarman Tower. An OU Emergency Alert said the man, an OU student, was a possible suicide subject.

Officials at the scene could not comment on the situation.

Seven or eight emergency vehicles park outside Adams Center to respond to a student sitting on a ledge of a 12th floor window in Tarman Tower (Adams Center). Photo by Arianna Pickard, Online Editor

A text message was sent through OU’s emergency alert system at around 3:30 p.m. telling students that there was a potential suicide subject at Adams Center’s Tarman Tower. The individual, who was a Sigma Phi Epsilon pledge, was taken back inside the building at around 4:30 p.m. 

During the event, students gathered near the basketball courts at Walker-Adams Mall to pray. Photo by Kelly Rogers, Life & Arts Editor

OU students make a prayer circle on the Walker-Adams Mall in support for the student sitting on the ledge outside the window to a room on the 12th floor of Tarman Tower. Photo by Kelly Rogers, Life & Arts Editor

After the incident, Amy Buchanan, assistant director or marketing and communications for OU Housing and Food, said all questions were being directed to OU’s Office of Public Affairs.

When asked for more information during the incident, university spokesman Corbin Wallace reiterated the text of the emergency alerts. At 5:01 p.m., Wallace told The Daily he had given all the information he could at the time.

Sigma Phi Epsilon president Wade Martin issued a statement at around 6 p.m. saying the fraternity members were “overwhelmed with joy” that the pledge is safe, and Sigma Phi Epsilon will provide love and support to the student and his family.

A wooden board was put up in place of the window in Tarman Tower.

Taylor Evans, accounting freshman who lives in Tarman Tower, said she was cleaning her room when someone knocked on the door to tell her what was happening.

“I thought the windows were unbreakable. I looked out the window and saw police and firemen and a bunch of kids looking up. Then I got an email saying to avoid Tarman 12, so I put my pillow down and sat on it for like an hour and a half. I didn’t want to see it if it was going to happen,” Evans said.

Taylor said she wished fewer people had crowded around the building to watch the incident unfold. She was particularly upset with how people in neighboring towers reacted.

Students gather outside of Adams Center, where a student sits on a ledge near the top of Tarman Tower. Photo by Kelly Rogers, Life & Arts Editor

“If you wanted to watch, they could have at least closed their blinds and peeked through. He could clearly see them. I thought it was disgusting that they were just openly taking pictures,” Taylor said.

Another Tarman Tower resident, Danielle McDaniel, said she found out about the incident as she walked to class.

“I knew that me standing there watching wasn’t going to help anything, it wasn’t going to change anything. It might make things worse, so I just left,” McDaniel said.

After the incident, McDaniel said that even though nothing happened, the atmosphere in Adams Center is different, and she worries about the stigma associated with mental illness.

“People are uncomfortable with mental illness in general, even if it was just a kid having a hard day, everyone will immediately try to label him,” McDaniel said. “In America we have a thing about feeling like that [mental illness] is contagious."

Editor’s note: The Daily does not print names of possible suicide victims to protect their privacy.

Mental health resources:

To report someone who may be suicidal, contact OU's Behavioral Intervention Team.

For 24/7 mental health counseling, call the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health Crisis and Information Line at 1-800-522-9054.

For two national suicide prevention lifelines answered in the state of Oklahoma by Heartline, call 1-800-273-TALK or 1-800-SUICIDE.

For local mental health services, visit Red Rock Behavioral Health Services, Inc., at 900 E. Main, Bldg. 52, in Norman, or call 405-307-4800.

For counseling and recovery groups, visit NorthCare of Norman at 550 NW 24th Ave. in Norman or call (405) 329-3349.

For mental health counseling, visit the Norman Behavioral Health Group at 3625 W Main St Norman or call (405) 579-7560.

For community-based mental health services, visit the Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Center at 909 Alameda St. in Norman or call (405) 360-5100.

More on Monday's possible suicide attempt:

Storify: Sooners support fellow student with prayers, thoughts

UPDATE: Possible suicide subject indoors, officials asks individuals to stay clear of area

Our View: Providing information about possible suicide attempt was vital

On Twitter: Sooners support fellow student with prayers, thoughts