DETROIT, MI. (THECOUNT) — World champion American figure skater, John Coughlin, who was recently suspended from his sport, committed suicide Friday, according to his sister.
Coughlin’s death coincided with the start of the 2019 US Figure Skating Championships in Detroit.
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“My wonderful strong, amazingly compassionate brother John Coughlin took his own life earlier today. I have no words. I love you John…” his sister, Angela Laune, said late Friday in a Facebook post.
A day before his death, Coughlin, 33, was temporarily suspended from US figure skating by the US Center for SafeSport amid a pending grievance, US Figure Skating officials said without disclosing details of the matter. The center is a US Olympic Committee agency with oversight of sexual misconduct and other abuse allegations reported to national governing bodies.
“We are stunned at the news of the death of two-time US pairs champion John Coughlin,” US Figure Skating said Saturday in a statement. “Our heartfelt and deepest sympathies are with his father Mike, sister Angela and the rest of his family. Out of respect to the family, we will have no further comment until a later time.” source
A US national pairs champion in 2011 and 2012, Coughlin represented the United States at the world championships during those years. He was from Kansas City, Missouri, WDAF reported.
Developing.
Detroit is the largest city in the midwestern state of Michigan. Near Downtown, the neoclassical Detroit Institute of Arts is famed for the Detroit Industry Murals painted by Diego Rivera, and inspired by the city’s ties to the auto industry, giving it the nickname “Motor City.” Detroit is also the birthplace of Motown Records, whose chart-topping history is on display at their original headquarters, Hitsville U.S.A.