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Parkland Survivor Donovan Metayer, 26, Dies by Suicide After Risk Order Lapses

His family links the loss to years of schizophrenia after the 2018 attack, highlighting care gaps for young Black men.

Overview

  • Metayer died on Dec. 15, according to his sister, seven years after surviving the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting.
  • The family says a court Risk Protection Order expired earlier this month, allowing him to legally purchase a handgun used a week later in his death.
  • He had been hospitalized multiple times and in 2021 was held under Florida's Baker Act, which temporarily barred firearm purchases.
  • Relatives describe progress through treatment with Henderson Behavioral Health and a private psychiatrist, noting he earned an IT certificate and worked at Office Depot.
  • A family GoFundMe aims to cover funeral costs and endow a mental-health fund at the Henderson Clinic, with contributions surpassing $41,000 by Monday.