Sudden rash of hangings plague Kitsap County Jail

A 20-year-old man was found hanging in his cell at approximately 12:30 p.m. by Kitsap County Jail (KCJ) corrections officers Saturday, according to a Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) report.

The man was an inmate at the jail awaiting his pretrial hearing after being arrested on second degree burglary charges.

KCSO detectives, working in collaboration with patrol officers from the Port Orchard Police Department, have initiated an investigation into the attempted suicide.

KCJ corrections’ officers discovered the inmate during routine, hourly cell checks. He was reportedly last contacted approximately an hour earlier when officers collected lunch trays.

Additional back-up officers and jail medical staff were immediately dispatched to the scene where CPR was initiated and maintained until medic units arrived from South Kitsap Fire and Rescue (SKFR).

Rescue crews were able to regain a pulse, where they continued life saving efforts en route to Harrison Medical Center, Bremerton. The inmate was subsequently airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.

Authorities have contacted the man’s family.

This marks the second time, within a week, that officers have discovered an inmate attempting suicide by hanging while in lockup.

The first, a 47-year-old man arrested for violating protection orders, was later pronounced dead at Harrison Medical Center after rescue crews tried to revive him.

Details will be updated as they become available.

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