36-year-old TSA worker's death was suicide, Orlando police say

Employee was off-duty at time of death

Medical examiners confirmed Monday the death of a Transportation Security Administration worker at the Orlando International Airport Saturday was a suicide, Orlando police officials said.

Police also identified the TSA employee as 36-year-old Robert Henry.

Orlando police said Henry jumped from a balcony in the Hyatt Regency Hotel at the airport Saturday, according to officials from the Orlando Police Department. Airport officials said he was off-duty at the time of his death.

TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz said Henry was employed with the agency since September 2006.

Two hours after the incident on Saturday, Koshetz said TSA Orlando leadership brought in grief counselors from the Federal Air Marshal Service and worked with the Greater Orlando Aviation Airport Authorities' chaplain.

"The TSA Employee Assistance Program continues to provide professional counseling services as well as peer- to-peer counseling for our workforce," Koshetz said. "Our thoughts and prayers continue to go out to the officer’s family, friends and everyone in our TSA family."
 

While officers investigated the suicide, passengers for several airlines found themselves escorted off planes, corralled by police tape and waiting in long lines to be rescreened through security.

Authorities have not confirmed a reason behind the suicide; however, the worker was among the more than 880,000 federal employees who went nearly 35 days without pay during the federal government shutdown. It marked the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

"Our TSA Officers have already suffered so much during the government shutdown," Democratic Rep. Darren Soto said in a tweet. "This apparent suicide only adds to tragedy experienced at Orlando International. Our prayers go out to his family and coworkers after this difficult loss."


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