Don Cornelius dead at 75: Suicide and the Elderly

Many may have been surprised by the death by apparent suicide of television pioneer and African-American icon Don Cornelius at age 75. But should his death have been so surprising?  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, people above 65 are disproportionately likely to die by suicide. People 65 and older represent only 12 percent of the population of the United States, however, they accounted for approximately 16 percent of all suicide deaths.