Burleigh Heads (Australia) – This is a very sad story to write.  An 81-year-old man living in Australia's Gold Coast constructed a suicide robot and used it to successfully kill himself.  Francis Tovey was distraught over having to move out of his home into foster care and built the robot from plans found on the Internet.

A jigsaw power tool actuated a .22 caliber pistol with four cartridges.  Tovey was hit with four rounds after activating the machine in his driveway, according to witnesses who ran to the house after the shooting.

Senior citizens are disproportionately more likely to commit suicide than the general population.  According to 2004 statistics by the United States National Institute of Mental Health, 14.3 people per 100,000 people over 65-year-old committed suicide.  This rate is approximately 40% higher than the rest of the population. 

There are several websites and telephone hotlines like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK.  We urge you to use those resources if you or a loved one are  contemplating suicide.

Read more ... Gold Coast Bulletin.

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