GRAPHIC: Bystanders unable to stop young man in Zakho from committing suicide

ZAKHO, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan 24) – A young man on Saturday committed suicide on the historic Delal Bridge in the Dohuk Province’s city of Zakho.

The man, later identified as a 23-year-old, threatened to take his life as others on the bridge pleaded with him not to.

Footage on social media shows the young Kurd hesitate before eventually putting a gun to his head and pulling the trigger despite attempts from bystanders to stop him.

A Kurdistan 24 correspondent was on the scene following the incident where he spoke with local police officers who said an investigation is underway.

“We were given a call by our control office to rush to the scene as there had been a suicide,” a police officer explained. “We interviewed some of the witnesses who all confirmed the man used a gun to take his life.”

The police added there was no information available about why the 23-year-old took his life, but after their investigations were completed, the matter “will become clearer.”

One of the bystanders at the scene said the incident happened very quickly and nobody was able to get close to the young man to prevent him from shooting himself.

“It happened very quickly,” the witness told Kurdistan 24. “He put the gun to his head and ended his life instantly.”

“Our youth right now is fighting two battles,” he continued. “The first is on the front lines [against terror, oppression], and the second is depression.”

GRAPHIC: The following video contains images that some viewers may find disturbing.

The incident occurred at the highest point of the Delal Bridge where after three shots, two which were fired in the air, the young man ended his life.

Paramedics later took his body to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, followed by police who arrived on the scene to investigate who the man was and what led him to take his life.

Due to the sensitivity of the matter, Kurdistan 24 witheld footage of the suicide.