Parkland school shooting survivor Donovan Metayer dies by suicide as family shares new details

He underwent years of treatment, his family explained, and after an incident in 2021, he received involuntary treatment under Florida’s Baker Act, a law enforcement official, health professional, or judge placed him on a temporary, involuntary mental health hold for crisis evaluation and stabilization. It also barred him from purchasing a firearm.

“Though he had dreamt of college and a future in computer science, his worsening mental health made those dreams difficult to reach,” the family further wrote. “Over the years that followed, he would be hospitalized multiple times for suicidal ideation. Like so many young people, he struggled to accept a mental health diagnosis.”

“Donny often masked his pain to not burden those he loved, even as our family fought alongside him. Finding care through limited resources, systemic barriers, and the realities of navigating mental health crises as a young Black man made his path all the more steep.”

Thanking health clinic and psychiatrist

Donovan Metayer and his family eventually became involved with the Henderson Behavioral Health Clinic and a private psychiatrist, both of which became “a lifeline, offering guidance, compassion, and hope for his future.”

“With their support, Donny began to heal, earning an IT certificate and joining the team at Office Depot in Coral Springs, where he was quickly promoted,” the family wrote on the GoFundMe. “After years of challenges, he was beginning to carve out a sense of independence and a future he could believe in. His progress was a source of immense pride for our family.”

Donovan was able to purchase a handgun earlier this month as the Risk Protection Order lapsed, his family said. It’s unclear whether a gun is connected to his suicide.

Rest in peace, Donovan Metayer.

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