Second Parkland shooting survivor dies in apparent suicide, police say

Calvin Desir, 16, was found dead on Saturday 23 March
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A second survivor of Florida’s Parkland school shooting has died in an apparent suicide.

Calvin Desir, 16, was named by Coral Springs Police service on Tuesday after a spokesman informed CBS News of a student’s “apparent suicide” on Saturday night.

The case remains under investigation and a final cause of death has not yet been confirmed.

Mr Desir’s death comes a week after 17-year-old Sydney Aiello, another student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, died in a suspected suicide.

Her mother told CBS Miami that her daughter had struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder and survivor's guilt in the year following the shooting.

Seventeen people were killed and 17 others injured when Nikolas Cruz, 19, opened fire at the high school in southern Florida on 14 February 2018.

Cruz confessed to being the assailant and is awaiting trial. The death penalty for murder is still legal in Florida.

Cruz was charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder for the mass shootings at the Parkland high school in February 2018
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The Coral Springs Police department issued a statement saying: "The tragedy that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School is something that we as a community will struggle with for years to come.

"The city of Coral Springs recognises the anxiety and suffering continues for students, teachers and families who have experienced such violence and devastating loss. As a city we are committed to shining a light on those who suffer in the darkness."

The city plans to hold a meeting about mental health and suicide prevention at its town hall on Wednesday night.

David Hogg, an author, activist and survivor of the shootings tweeted on Sunday morning: "How many more kids have to be taken from us as a result of suicide for the government / school district to do anything?

“Rip 17+2."

For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK or the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 in the US.

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