Christian Meza
Managing Editor
Dylan Justin Mohammed, 19-year-old resident of Estrella Hall and student at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, died by apparent suicide near the Palo Alto Hospital construction site, where construction workers found the body the morning of Nov. 13, according to a San Antonio Police Department report.
Rumors on social media that a second body was also found at the site were false, according to a safety supervisor at the site.
Andrew Garcia, a construction safety supervisor who said he was among the workers who found Mohammed’s body, said the tragic event affected him personally as he has a college-aged son himself.
“I wish he would have reached out to someone so something like this didn’t have to happen,” Garcia said.
A memorial filled with flowers and depictions of sharks was started in honor for Mohammed outside the University Health property. Construction workers will not move nor misplace the vigil out of respect.
Messages of condolence were shared throughout the A&M-San Antonio community and to the Estrella Hall residents from the Office of the President. The university did not release his name in those communications. The tower and dome of A&M-San Antonio will be lit yellow through the weekend in Mohammed’s memory.
“The University is working to support the family and closest friends of the student and those directly impacted, including our students and employees,” said A&M-San Antonio President Salvador Ochoa.
“We ask that you keep this student, their family, and all affected in your thoughts in the coming days as we join them in mourning the tragic loss of a member of our Jaguar family,” Ochoa said.
Ochoa referred to the Student Counseling Center and Crisis Support as resources for students struggling to find comfort or support. The A&M-San Antonio Employee Assistance Program offer counseling services for faculty and staff.
San Antonio Police Department reports indicated that Mohammed sent a delayed message via Instagram to a friend expressing, he was grateful for their friendship.
The friend had contacted A&M-San Antonio expressing concern over the well-being of Mohammed after receiving concerning text messages from him, according to the SAPD report.
The deceased found at the site was not a University Health employee or part of the construction team, according to Elizabeth Allen, University Health Director of External Communications.
Allen said all construction workers were instructed to go home and not to continue work on the day of the tragedy.
If you or someone you know are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the suicide and crisis lifeline number at 988. The Student Counseling Center at A&M-San Antonio also has a 24/7 emergency line at 210-784-1331.
This story was updated to clarify statements from A&M-San Antonio and University Health.
Additional reporting by Thomas Hernandez and Parker Foreman and contributions by Trinity Hewtty.
This story was updated to clarify that Mohammed was a student from A&M-San Antonio.
