Boy of 13 uses his father’s service firearm to kill himself

POLICE are investigating an officer after his teenage son killed himself using his service firearm.

The Grade 7 pupil aged 13 was found dead with a bullet wound in the forehead in his home in Heidedal, Bloemfontein, last Tuesday.

Free State police spokesperson Colonel Thandi Mbambo said a case was being investigated following the boy’s death.

“The firearm, believed to be his father’s service pistol, was found at the scene. No foul play is suspected and circumstances pertaining to the possible use of the father’s firearm will be investigated,” Mbambo said.

A relative said the family was still in the dark regarding investigations into the matter.

Free State Department of Education spokesperson Howard Ndaba sent condolences to the family.

“We will visit the school with a view to providing psycho-social counselling, especially to the pupils,” said Ndaba, adding that they were surprised the boy took his own life.

Ndaba said the department would also reach out to the boy’s family.

The incident comes after media reports reflecting shocking statistics on teen suicides.

The SA Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) statistics show that 9% of teenage deaths in the country are due to suicide, concluding that the state of youth and mental health in the country was a crisis.

The stats revealed that: 31.5% of teen suicide attempts required medical treatment; 17.6% of teens had considered attempting suicide; one in four university students had been diagnosed with depression; and over 20% of 18-year-olds had attempted suicide more than once.

Dr Sebolelo Seape, chairperson of the Psychiatry Management Group, said the prevention of teen suicides started with better understanding of the symptoms of depression.

Seape said almost one in 10 teenage deaths in South Africa every year are as a result of suicide.

“Up to 20% of high school learners have tried to take their own lives,” Seape said.