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Police Investigate Apparent Suicide at Nordstrom

Update: A woman in her twenties jumped from third-floor balcony at the Broadway Plaza store in Walnut Creek.

Update: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, more details from WCPD press release.

Walnut Creek police are investigating an apparent suicide Thursday afternoon after a woman in her late twenties jumped from the Nordstrom store at Broadway Plaza.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, police said.

"Witnesses and the subsequent investigation revealed the subject was by herself when she intentionally jumped off the third-floor balcony," police stated in a Thursday evening news release. She landed near the sidewalk at South Broadway and Mount Diablo Boulevard.

The woman's identity was withheld pending notification by the Contra Costa County Coroner's Office, police reported.

Officers temporarily blocked traffic on Broadway Thursday afternoon to aid the investigation. Traffic flow was restored at 3:13 p.m. Thursday, police said.

The incident took place about 1:45 p.m. Thursday. The jump apparently was from a second-floor patio of the cafe at Nordstrom to the sidewalk below.

Lesley Hunter January 25, 2013 at 07:20 pm
Maybe it would be a good idea to tone the harsh opinions down a little. Frequently friends and families of the victims view the comments. Yes it was public, but at the same time its insensitive to post clear photos, going over the line of news to voyeuristic
Dive Turn Work January 25, 2013 at 07:21 pm
Possibly the dumbest, most self-absorbed comment I've ever read.
Kurt Miller January 25, 2013 at 07:25 pm
Yeah, quite bizarre actually.
Chris Nicholson January 25, 2013 at 07:41 pm
Tragic.
I know almost nothing about psychology, but my gut says that the predictable infamy of such a suicide could possibly be a contributing factor that might push some troubled people over the line. I say this not to judge or condemn a clearly very troubled person, but to argue against sensational media coverage of such events. Not to compare insane mass murderers to suicide victims, but I also think we / the media should avoid providing the notoriety/infamy to them. Denying fame posthumously obviously does not change history, but it might critically change the calculus for other mentally troubled people in the future.
Nanette Martineau January 25, 2013 at 08:24 pm
@ creek diva -- Thank you for your contribution and crisis and suicide ph # to this sad story. There is hope!
Dive Turn Work January 25, 2013 at 11:08 pm
Research would disagree with you.
"In a 2001 University of Houston study of 153 survivors of nearly lethal attempts between the ages of 13 and 34, only 13 percent reported having contemplated their act for eight hours or longer. To the contrary, 70 percent set the interval between deciding to kill themselves and acting at less than an hour, including an astonishing 24 percent who pegged the interval at less than five minutes." Given the short duration of time people contemplated a serious suicide attempt (defined as one in which success had a high probability of likelihood), it's unlikely "predictable infamy" really enters into their thought process. 2 to 3 people jump from the Golden Gate bridge each month and those suicides are rarely reported. They only make the news if the person is famous (when a local radio host did this about 20 years ago) or they cause a major traffic delay on the bridge. However, most jumpers don't tie up traffic because they tend to jump quickly and not linger. I would agree that press coverage of such incidents should be rare and handled with the utmost sensitivity - which should include not allowing comments to stories about suicides. Here's the link to the article about bridge jumpers. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/magazine/06suicide-t.html
Ralph Hoffmann January 26, 2013 at 12:45 am
Kaiser Behavioral Health is across Broadway from Nordstroms, just south of Safeway.
I suggest WC Police check this out tomorrow.
deborah shea January 26, 2013 at 06:34 pm
ralph that was my first thought also with kaiser right across the street...
mayra January 26, 2013 at 11:04 pm
Lily a family member
I thank you for all the comments it is such a tragedy it hurts so much but no one can understand why such an awesome person with a beatyfull life, who was willing to help so many people, and lived such a succesfull life forgot about herself. She has so many people who love her and enjoyed to be around her ,she was lovely girl who managed to stay in school and graduate,spoke more then two language and was overall very inteligent. She could not take the pain that she was going thru, as you can see this news may help you to make the life of a person having the sadness and troubles she went through, please give them all the love they need and make them happy as much as you can.Only she knows how it feels.
KAC January 27, 2013 at 01:19 am
Mayra, thank you for the info about Lily. I'm very sorry for your families loss.
Laura January 27, 2013 at 04:01 am
I agree with Mike
Laura January 27, 2013 at 04:11 am
Mayra,
There are so many of "us" hurting for this young woman. I have been desperate to know what could have driven such a brutal action in someone so young. I have cried more than once for her and the thought of what her family must b going through. I think people want to know more because we want to learn how to help, be aware and offer ourselves to anyone in this state of mind. Love to all who know and love this young woman.
BabyDaddy January 27, 2013 at 04:23 am
I know this family and they are wonderful people. My heart aches for them.
Laura January 27, 2013 at 04:27 am
...and mine for you.
Noelle January 27, 2013 at 10:17 pm
And I disagree.
MP January 28, 2013 at 05:29 pm
What is this girl's name? Someone says Lily on here, but on another website, an alleged friend said "RIP JGA". On yet another website, someone named Wendy claimed to be a sister.
Pit January 28, 2013 at 05:54 pm
Man I remember when she use to make fun of when we were little. Can't believe she's actually gone...
Tristan January 31, 2013 at 02:26 pm
I was across the street at Safeway on a smoke break when it happened I saw the whole thing, watching her fall from 3 stories up being over 200 feet away I never felt so powerless. I wanted to run over there but it was so fast and no one reacted to me shouting "she just jumped off nordstrom call 911" all I got were confused looks. Not to many people were fully aware of what was going on until the police arrived.
Kay R January 31, 2013 at 07:21 pm
Hadn't noticed it until you pointed it out.
Solara February 1, 2013 at 12:56 pm
According to blogger Marcia Cross, the deceased is Jessica Alvarez. My condolences to her friends & family. I wonder if she is the young woman who had a blog, "Living With Purpose?"
Jennifer February 5, 2013 at 05:48 am
Her name was Gabriela Almataz..And she was an amazing person..
Jennifer February 5, 2013 at 05:48 am
Her name was Gabriela Almaraz.. And she was an amazing person..
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:00 pm
thank you apreciate it
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:09 pm
Hi Solara I will love to know how I can see that blog could be her I will know if I see it
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:11 pm
Thank you Laura sory I did not have the energy to reply but know I could read all he coments
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:16 pm
I am sory you have to withnes the incident I hope you feel better Good bless you
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:17 pm
Yes she was an amazing person she was a wonderfull women
mayra March 24, 2013 at 06:26 pm
please help me to get to that blog will help me to fiand out if it was her
kniVcKZxXr April 28, 2013 at 10:06 pm
I Cant juSt believe it I looked up to her. SHES ONE WOMEN THAT MAKES US MEN LOOK BAD. SHE HAD A GREAT AND BEAUTIFUL. FAMILY AND superB CAREER I WILL ALWAYS MISS AND FOREVER HAVE U IN MY PRAYERS....
mayra April 29, 2013 at 02:41 pm
thank you for those prayers she will be happy to hear from you.

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