Firefighters view the aftermath of a building collapse, Thursday, June 6, 2013, in Philadelphia. / AP Photo/Matt Rourke
PHILADELPHIA An inspector who surveyed a Philadelphia building before it collapsed last week, killing six people, has committed suicide, a city official confirmed.
Deputy Mayor Everett Gillison said the inspector was found fatally shot in a pickup truck Wednesday night. The man was a Department of Licenses and Inspections employee who had inspected the building May 14. CBS station KYW reports that was the last inspection before the fatal accident.
Police said the 52-year-old man sent his wife a text message before shooting himself in the chest in his parked pickup truck, according to KYW. His wife discovered the body at around 9 p.m. Wednesday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
[h=3]Aerials of building collapse in Philadelphia[/h]
Officials were informing department staff Thursday morning and the man's name wasn't immediately being released.
City officials are planning a 9:30 a.m. news conference.
The building was being demolished when it collapsed onto a neighboring Salvation Army Thrift Store on June 5, killing two employees and four customers. Police allege a heavy equipment operator was high on marijuana when it happened.
The city's top prosecutor is convening a grand jury to look into the collapse.
