Cornell Police found a deceased female at the bottom of Fall Creek Gorge yesterday afternoon after receiving a call from a witness saying that a woman had jumped off the Suspension Bridge. Members of the Ithaca Police Department, Cornell Police Department, Ithaca Fire Department and Bangs Ambulance responded to the incident.
The body was removed at approximately 4 p.m. as “Members of the Ithaca Fire Department rappelled into the gorge [to] retrieve the body,” according to a statement issued by the IPD. While the female has yet to be identified, police are continuing to investigate the incident.
The bridge has since been cleared, except for remnants of yellow police tape near the path leading down to the gorge.
When asked about the incident, Simeon Moss ’73, director of Cornell University Press Relations, responded that he had no information to offer, explaining, “The whole investigation is being handled entirely by the Ithaca Police Department.” The IPD would not provide additional information at this time.
Last fall, Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations for Gannett, told The Sun that Cornell’s suicide rate is in keeping with the national average for higher education, which is seven per 100,000 students per year.
For those upset by the situation and seeking counseling, Gannett’s counseling services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. To get in touch with a crisis manager, students should contact Cornell Police at 607-255-1111. Anyone with additional information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the IPD at 607-272-9973.
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