Posted on Jul 10, 2014
Bad news...I know we talked to this veteran about the issues he was having. Could we have done more?
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A man was struck and killed by an eastbound train early Saturday morning and The Dalles City Police are awaiting toxicology reports to see if he was under the influence of alcohol or narcotics.
Shon Hill, 39, of Ione, was found dead near the tracks at First and Union streets by emergency responders shortly after 4 a.m. July 5.
He was reportedly lying in the railroad right-of-way when he was hit by a Union Pacific freight train, according to Detective Doug Kramer.
Hill was on foot after having his vehicle impounded by Oregon State Police in Hood River following a DUI arrest July 4.
He had been transported to the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities but an undisclosed medical condition prevented him from being kept in jail.
After being taken to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles for treatment, Hill was cited by OSP and released about 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Kramer said it is not known where Hill went or what he did in the intervening hours between his release from the hospital and the incident that led to his death.
Shon Hill, 39, of Ione, was found dead near the tracks at First and Union streets by emergency responders shortly after 4 a.m. July 5.
He was reportedly lying in the railroad right-of-way when he was hit by a Union Pacific freight train, according to Detective Doug Kramer.
Hill was on foot after having his vehicle impounded by Oregon State Police in Hood River following a DUI arrest July 4.
He had been transported to the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facilities but an undisclosed medical condition prevented him from being kept in jail.
After being taken to Mid-Columbia Medical Center in The Dalles for treatment, Hill was cited by OSP and released about 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Kramer said it is not known where Hill went or what he did in the intervening hours between his release from the hospital and the incident that led to his death.
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Posted >1 y ago
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This really bothers me. I reached out to this Soldier and gave him my personal cell phone number to contact me. Others contacted him as well and offered the help he was soliciting.
I've been in several situations just like this. Some Soldier's snap out of it and some don't. I've been blamed directly by family members for "not doing enough" to save their son. It sickens me. They have no idea what we go through and the extensive measures we go to to help them.
I have mixed feelings about suicide as I see it as a selfish act, especially for those with families. I know sometimes people just cant find a way out and don't know what else to do and get stuck in a thinking trap.
Is there more I could have done for Hill? IS there more we could have done for him? Or did he simply make his decision that he saw no way out?
Many of us are going through the same things, so he was not alone.
I've been in several situations just like this. Some Soldier's snap out of it and some don't. I've been blamed directly by family members for "not doing enough" to save their son. It sickens me. They have no idea what we go through and the extensive measures we go to to help them.
I have mixed feelings about suicide as I see it as a selfish act, especially for those with families. I know sometimes people just cant find a way out and don't know what else to do and get stuck in a thinking trap.
Is there more I could have done for Hill? IS there more we could have done for him? Or did he simply make his decision that he saw no way out?
Many of us are going through the same things, so he was not alone.
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PV2 (Join to see)
I'm with SSG Garza on this. I read the article and if he was as intoxicated as it seemed, he could have passed out not knowing where he was and this was all an unfortunate accident. Having formerly worked in an ER, I question how a hospital could release him on his own in such an intoxicated state. That to me is a liability for the hospital. They should have called the police to give him a ride home. I would have never sent someone that intoxicated out on his own without a ride or someone to accompany him. It's truly sad and unfortunate.
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LCpl Steve Wininger
PV2 (Join to see) I concur with you and SSG (Join to see) This is so sad and unfortunate. We will probably never know. If there is any comfort, it is the fact that SGT hill is no longer suffering and is at perfect peace.
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PO1 (Join to see)
SSG Robert Burns I understand that you're upset. So am I. I never met the guy, I too gave him my number. We did all we could in reference to how connected we were to him, how far we were from him, and that he had other close support, such as his girlfriend, who apparently could not help him.
Now it's time to pay our final respects and continue with life, and leave the rest to God. Thank you for all you did for him
Now it's time to pay our final respects and continue with life, and leave the rest to God. Thank you for all you did for him
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LCpl Steve Wininger
SPC Tina Hammer Thank you for sharing your story. I totally agree that once the flesh dies we live on. Although I believe prayer works, sometimes when we are in the lowest valleys of our lives it is difficult to see. This is where faith comes in to play.
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Many of us reached out to him. Sending him messages, cell phone numbers, email addresses, etc. When I saw the post earlier today, my heart sunk in my chest and I had to go for a quick walk outside my office. Here is the one thing we all must remember; there is only so much we can do. You can offer help, sit down with the person, whatever but in the end, that person is in control of his/her actions. While it makes my heart heavy each time I read about another brother or sister-in-arms taking their own life I cannot beat myself up too much. I've done that in the past only to realize I've done everything I could to try and help but again, they are in control.
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SFC Drake, while this is tragic as is any loss of life, I personally feel that Shon had a support system in place, and it was working. I personally feel that sometimes fate takes control and there is nothing that we can do about it.
We as an online community only knew what he told us, and I DO feel that any and everybody here did everything that they thought was sufficient. Obviously something more could have been done or he would still be with us today, but the question remains, By who?
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and hope that they can all find peace within.
We as an online community only knew what he told us, and I DO feel that any and everybody here did everything that they thought was sufficient. Obviously something more could have been done or he would still be with us today, but the question remains, By who?
My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends and hope that they can all find peace within.
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SFC A.M. Drake
Yes I know it's just heart wrenching to hear about any veteran that we had contact with to lose their life.
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SSG (Join to see)
I went to look back at his post back in June, it seemed like he was on the right track and seemed positive. Matter of fact, he was excited he was coming to the RPx.
I sit here and read the story and think how could have this been prevented. PTSD is an unpredictable thing and there are many in the civilian community that don't understand it either. I'm not going to second guess the officer's action after Shon's release, the officer acted IAW their procedures most likely. Could I sit here and come up with all sorts of reasons how this could of have been prevented, yes, but I wont, Shon's loved ones are going through enough. It is an unfortunate tragic event when we lose one of our own and its one is too many.
I sit here and read the story and think how could have this been prevented. PTSD is an unpredictable thing and there are many in the civilian community that don't understand it either. I'm not going to second guess the officer's action after Shon's release, the officer acted IAW their procedures most likely. Could I sit here and come up with all sorts of reasons how this could of have been prevented, yes, but I wont, Shon's loved ones are going through enough. It is an unfortunate tragic event when we lose one of our own and its one is too many.
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SSG (Join to see)
SSG Michael Scholl, I saw, even with his therapy dog he looked happy. With suicide it not a matter of how, its a matter of when, thats the great unknown. You may be right, I don't think that was an expectation but in a way I'm glad we did find out if that makes sense.
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