State Patrol confirms Friday’s death of teenager was suicide

This story from our NewsPartners LynnwoodToday and The Seattle Times

By Mike Murphy, Lynnwood Today

The State Patrol has confirmed that Friday’s death of a 14-year-old boy on I-5 in Lynnwood was suicide. (Police were investigating the possibility that he accidentally fell or was pushed.)

This update is from our news partners at The Seattle Times:

A witness, who saw the teen clutching the overpass railing, tried to coax him not to jump, said Trooper Keith Leary. When the witness tried to engage the boy in a conversation and offered to help, the youth let go of the railing and fell onto the northbound lanes of Interstate 5, Leary said.

The teen was struck by a van, which swerved and hit a pickup, Leary said. The pickup then spun out and ended up facing south in the northbound lanes. No motorists were hurt, but the incident prompted the closure of several freeway lanes and caused a huge traffic backup.

The teen lived in a group home, Leary said.

The State Patrol won’t release the teen’s name because he’s a minor.

See the previous story.