NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The death of a sailor assigned to USS Montana (SSN 794) was determined to be a suicide, according to the Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.
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The sailor was identified as Electronics Technician Navigation 3rd Class (ETV3) Devon Faehnrich. He was found unresponsive by another crew member at Newport News Shipbuilding on Monday, March 27, according to the Submarine Force Atlantic.
On Friday, March 31, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said the cause of death was a "gunshot wound of the head." The officer added that the manner of death was a suicide.
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Cmdr. Paul Macapagal, a spokesperson with the Submarine Force Atlantic Spokesperson, said the Navy fully cooperated with the investigation and said resources are available to sailors to cope with Faehnrich’s death.
"We deeply mourn the loss of our shipmate, and our thoughts and prayers are with the Sailor’s family, friends and coworkers during this difficult time. Grief counseling services and support are being provided through the chain of command and the command chaplain. The U.S. Navy is cooperating fully with authorities and the incident remains under investigation,” Macapagal said in a statement.
Stay with News 3 for updates.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis can call the Suicide and Lifeline Crisis at 988.
