A former Columbia professor who was reported missing on Wednesday after his girlfriend discovered typed suicide notes in his Harlem apartment was found dead in a Zipcar last night, according to police.
Cops say Bruce Chadwick, 48, was found unconscious and unresponsive with a plastic bag wrapped around his head at around 11:10 p.m. last night, inside the car in the vicinity of West 123rd Street and Riverside Drive.
Though the Medical Examiner has yet to determine the cause of death, police believe it may have been suicide.
Chadwick, who once taught political science and international affairs at Columbia University and had, according to LinkedIn, most recently been teaching economics and finance at Montclair State University, was last seen leaving his apartment on West 135th Street at around 9:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
His girlfriend says he left notes in his apartment expressing a wish to end his life, writing that he was depressed over losing a job.
If someone you know exhibits warning signs of suicide: do not leave the person alone; remove any firearms, alcohol, drugs or sharp objects that could be used in a suicide attempt; and call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or take the person to an emergency room or seek help from a medical or mental health professional.
Update 12/31: This piece initially reported that Bruce Chadwick taught at Kingsborough Community College—there is another, different professor there by that name. Gothamist regrets the error.
