By Jim Holt & Skylar Barti
Signal Senior Staff Writer
The man who authorities believe tried to kill himself at the Oak Tree Gun Club on Sunday is expected to survive.
An unidentified man was rushed late Sunday morning to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital with a gunshot injury to his head.
“The person is expected to survive,” Sgt. Mark Caron of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station said Monday.
The man shot himself, according to witnesses, Caron said.
Sunday’s incident marks the second time in half a year that someone has visited the Newhall gun club on Coltrane Avenue, and then discharged a firearm in a bid to kill themselves.
In March, a woman died from what was suspected to be a self-inflicted injury at the gun club.
Investigators were trying to determine if the injury was self-inflicted, but they had no eyewitnesses, according to Lt. Leo Bauer at the time of the incident.
Last year, Oak Tree Gun Club owner Jim Mitchell sat down with the Santa Clarita Valley Suicide Prevention, Postvention and Wellness Committee to discuss ways to reduce firearm-related suicides.
“We have a great deal of concern about suicide,” Mitchell said in a previous story by The Signal. “As people who are involved in the firearms industry in general, it is very important to get to the bottom of people who kill themselves with guns.”
The gun club has a thorough vetting process to ensure no one has “questionable motives” when going to the range, according to Betsy James, chief operating officer of Oak Tree and Mitchell’s daughter. There were no obvious warning signs with any of past suicides that occurred at Oak Tree, she said.
If anyone needs help, they can take action by calling the National Suicide Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), The Los Angeles county Department of Mental Health’s Access Center Helpline at 800-854-7771 or 911. All services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mental Health and other resources for Santa Clarita Valley
College of the Canyons Student Health & Wellness Resource Website
Child & Family Center, Santa Clarita
Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital Behavioral Health Free and Confidential MH Screening Website:
Mental Health: It’s Part of All Our Lives 1-800- 789-2647
National Child Traumatic Stress Network
National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare
National Institute for Mental Health
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800- 273-TALK
SAMHSA Site for Coping with Disaster and Traumatic Events:
Santa Clarita City Mental Health Resource Page
SCV Youth Project (661) 257.YOUTH (9688)
SRD~Straightening Reins – equine therapy 661-803-1641
661-287-5527
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