VA releases statement regarding Navy vet who committed suicide at San Antonio facility

On April 7th, 2025, Mark Miller, 53, a US Navy veteran, shot himself in the parking lot of Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. Despite the tragedy of the situation, his suicide was sparsely reported on. Lacking the information required to report the facts, we reached out to the Department of Veterans Affairs who confirmed the incident occurred and released the following statement.

"We are deeply saddened by this incident and offer our sincere condolences to the Veteran’s loved ones. VA cannot comment further due to privacy restrictions.

If you’re a Veteran in crisis or concerned about one, please contact the Veterans Crisis Line to receive 24/7confidential support. You don't have to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care to connect. To reach responders, dial 988 then Press 1, chat online at https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/get-help-now/chat/, or text 838255."

Mark's Father brings awareness to his son's struggle

“I lay the blame for my son’s death on the VA system and the psychiatrist who drugged him instead of helping him”, Larry Miller, Mark's father, wrote in a Facebook post. The elder Miller said that shortly before his son took his life he received a text that said, “Papa, I love you very much and I always will” and replied “I love you too, with all my heart”, but is unsure if his son read the message.

He claims his son felt uncared for by his VA care team, remembering Mark saying, "How can a pill heal years of war trauma, solve any problem, plan for any future, provide insight into any cause or give hope for the future? They can’t. Instead, these pills numb your brain and turn you into a crazed zombie. "

Larry Miller further stated, “Mark is gone. But his message is not. The gunshot that rang out yesterday on the steps of the VA hospital will reverberate around the world until this egregious system is fixed and veterans are given the love and support, they so undeniably deserve.”

During an emotional speech on the State House floor, a Texas legislator, Texas Rep. Josey Garcia, said Miller’s death demonstrated the need for increased funding for mental health care for veterans. We reached out to Rep. Garcia's office for comment, but they have not responded yet at the time of this article.