Congress has cut federal funding for public media — a $3.4 million loss for LAist. We count on readers like you to protect our nonprofit newsroom. Become a monthly member and sustain local journalism.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Chester Bennington's Death Confirmed As Suicide By Coroner
Bennington performs with the Hellcat Saints at the 2016 Rhonda's Kiss Benifit honoring Johnny Depp at El Rey Theatre on November 3, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
()
The Los Angeles County coroner's office confirmed Friday that Linkin Park frontman Chester Bennington died by suicide.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a coroner's office spokesman said that Bennington's body was found hanging from a belt off a bedroom door on Thursday. A half-empty bottle of alcohol was found in the same room at the house on the 2800 block of Via Victoria in Palos Verdes Estates. No suicide note was discovered.
Authorities responded to the scene after dispatch at the Los Angeles County Fire Department received a call of suspected cardiac arrest at the home at 8:59 a.m. on Thursday morning, Lt. Inspector Richard Licon of the LACFD told LAist. "It was an 814 criteria, which means rigor mortis had already set in, so no resuscitation was necessary. There was no paramedics needed," said Licon.
Bennington has openly discussed his experiences with suicidal thoughts before; he said he'd struggled with them after the end of his first marriage in 2005.
Support for LAist comes from
"I felt like my life's work had been given away. I drank myself to the point where I couldn't leave the house and I couldn't function," Bennington told Kerrang! in 2009, notes Digital Spy. "I wanted to kill myself. I could very easily not be the person who's sitting here right now. I could be dead. It was a horrible, horrible existence."
In May, Bennington took to Twitter to post a message regarding the suicide of fellow musician and friend Chris Cornell.
With all of my love @chriscornell. pic.twitter.com/NFz0dnxfp8
— Chester Bennington (@ChesterBe) May 18, 2017
An autopsy has not yet been performed on Bennington's body.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
As Editor-in-Chief of our newsroom, I’m extremely proud of the work our top-notch journalists are doing here at LAist. We’re doing more hard-hitting watchdog journalism than ever before — powerful reporting on the economy, elections, climate and the homelessness crisis that is making a difference in your lives. At the same time, it’s never been more difficult to maintain a paywall-free, independent news source that informs, inspires, and engages everyone.
Simply put, we cannot do this essential work without your help. Federal funding for public media has been clawed back by Congress and that means LAist has lost $3.4 million in federal funding over the next two years. So we’re asking for your help. LAist has been there for you and we’re asking you to be here for us.
We rely on donations from readers like you to stay independent, which keeps our nonprofit newsroom strong and accountable to you.
No matter where you stand on the political spectrum, press freedom is at the core of keeping our nation free and fair. And as the landscape of free press changes, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust, but the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news from our community.
Please take action today to support your trusted source for local news with a donation that makes sense for your budget.
Thank you for your generous support and believing in independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades. -
More than half of sales through September have been to corporate developers. Grassroots community efforts continue to work to combat the trend. -
The bill would increase penalties for metal recyclers who possess or purchase metal used in public infrastructure. -
The new ordinance applies to certain grocers operating in the city and has led to some self-checkout lanes to shutter.
Best of LAist