The death of megachurch pastor Darrin Patrick has been officially ruled a suicide, according to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.
The popular Seacoast Church teaching pastor took his own life unexpectedly on May 7th, with the initial report being that it was a “self-inflicted gunshot wound.” As initially there were no further details, some have speculated that it may have been accidental, given that he was target shooting with a friend at the time of his death, and others refused to believe he would have done so on purpose.
With Franklin County Sheriff Steve Pelton announcing that the medical examiner ruled the cause of death suicide by gunshot, all further speculation may be laid to rest.
A statement from Seacoast Church regarding Patrick’s passing reads:
Charleston, S.C. and St. Louis, M.O. – July 2, 2020 – Today, we learned that the medical examiner reviewing the circumstances of Darrin’s death released his findings and has ruled Darrin’s death a suicide. We are devastated by this news. We do not know, and may not ever know or fully understand the reasons behind this tragedy. We are reminded that we are often unaware of the ways that those close to us are hurting and struggling. We will recommit ourselves to loving those around us and making sure that they truly know how precious their lives are. We urge anyone who is struggling with depression, despair, or suicidal thoughts to reach out for help. We have resources available for anyone who needs them, as well as more information about Darrin and ways to support his family, at seacoast.org/darrinpatrick.
Please continue to pray for the Patrick family during this difficult time.
