The U.S. Navy sailor who shot and killed himself at a luxury Hawaii resort was assigned to the Naval Submarine Support Center in Pearl Harbor.
Lt. Cmdr. Russell Cruz, 40, of New York, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in a room at the Kahala Hotel & Resort after a standoff with Honolulu police over the weekend.
About 100 people were ushered into a ballroom for hours while Cruz remained barricaded in a fourth-floor room. Police said he fired through the door multiple times. No one else was injured.
The Navy released details about his identity Wednesday. The Honolulu Medical Examiner's office released his name on Monday.
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The center he was assigned to provides operational support for Pearl Harbor homeported submarines, their crews, families and staff of Submarine Squadrons One and Seven.
“Every member of our Navy team is important; this is a painful time for our local community and the U.S. Navy,” said a statement from Cmdr. Cindy Fields, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Pacific Fleet submarine force.
Cruz was a Navy supply officer and a submarine warfare qualified officer, Fields said.
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According to his bio, he enlisted in 2001.
If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide please call the U.S. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text TALK to 741741 or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
