Sanford police unable to prevent man's public suicide

Sanford police officers talked to a man for 90 minutes Thursday afternoon, but they were unsuccessful in keeping the man from killing himself.

Officers were called to the intersection of Charlotte Avenue and First Street at about 1 p.m., where they found a 28-year-old man sitting in front of an abandoned business armed with a 9mm handgun.

They were able to communicate with the man, but were not able to save his life.

The man shot himself and was taken to Central Carolina Hospital’s emergency room where he was pronounced dead.