Crime & Safety

Wording of L&I Inspector's Video Suicide Note Being Debated

The building inspector who committed suicide Wednesday left a video suicide note.

Ronald Wagenhoffer, 52, blamed himself for the collapse of a building in Center City that killed six and injured 13 in a video, according to NBC Philadelphia. A Narberth woman, and two other woman with Lower Merion ties died in the collapse.

"It was my fault. I should have looked at those guys working, and I didn't," NBC Philadelphia reported Wagenhoffer said in the video to his family.

But that the wording of that video suicide note is being questioned.

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The mayor's office told media that in the video, Wagenhoffer actually said "It wasn't my fault."

Police told Philly.com that Wagenhoffer was the L&I building inspector who inspected the building that collapsed in Center City last week.

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Police discovered Wagenhoffer's body in the 100 block of Shawmont Avenue in Roxborough about 9:10 p.m. Wednesday.

NBC Philadelphia told Philly.com that they saw the video and are "standing by their journalism."

Police found Wagenhoffer in the front seat of his pickup truck with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Police are investigating the matter as a suicide.

People have been sending their condolences to the family on Roxborough-Manayunk Patch's Facebook page.

"Kim & Steve Krystopa would like to offer our deepest condelences to the Wagenhoffer Family. Our Thoughts and Prayers are with you all in this tragic time. God Bless you Ron, You were a Good Man, and you will be sadly missed by us and many others," commented Kim Krystopa.

Wagenhoffer left behind a young son and a wife, according to Philly.com.


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