Man dies in leap from Empire State Building

AP ^ | 11/26/4

[SmithL]

NEW YORK -- A man jumped to his death Friday from the 86th-floor observation deck at the Empire State Building, one of Manhattan's busiest tourist destinations, police said.

The apparent suicide forced police to briefly close the landmark on Fifth Avenue to tourists in New York for the holiday weekend.

The man apparently climbed over a security fence that encloses the observation deck before leaping off. He hit a landing on the sixth floor, where he died instantly, police said.

No identification was found on his body.

At least 31 other people have committed suicide at the Empire State Building since it opened in 1931. More than 3.8 million people visit the tourist attraction each year, according to the building's Web site.

[Gumption]

Stepping onto that glass is just freaky until you get used to it. Then you can mess with the newbies.

[Lancey Howard]

I remember being on the roof of the World Trade Center back when tour groups were allowed up there and the guide pointed out where a high-wire acrobat had tight-rope walked from one tower to the other. Simply unfathomable to me. I get vertigo looking to see if my shoes are tied.

[EDINVA]

landing on the sixth floor... was a MIRACLE .. can you imagine the street traffic on 5th Avenue, or 34th Street the day after Thanksgiving .. my first thought was the danger to the people on the street. Poor soul, may he rest in peace.

[Dolphy]

In the spirit of George W. Bush: May God have mercy on this poor man's soul.

Amen.

[reg45]

Another Kerry supporter commits suicide.

It's all George Bush's fault.

[conductor john]

reminds me of the guy who jumped a few weeks ago. Passing the 60th floor, he noted, "so far, so good."

[Gumption]

I would suggest a week of non-stop sex with the hottest woman you know.

Then his wife would kill him.

(Just kidding Sam. I know your wife is the hottest women you know)

[Right_Handed_Writer]

Here is the notice I received from IPN. It looks like it happened just after 11:30 A.M.:

NYK| Manhattan| Trauma Alert| SOD| 350 5 Ave.|U/D: person jumped from the Empire State Bldg. poss. from the top floor DOA canceling all further| NYK062| 10:41

[Drew68]

What, no pictures...?

I saw some pictures of the jumpers on 9/11. Was not pretty. They more or less hit the concrete pavement and came apart. Heads flew off and everything.

[Sub-Driver]

i smell a lawsuit.....

New York Times Front Page: Building Owner Fails to Prevent Man Jumping To Commit Suicide - Lawyer For The Family Says The Razor Wire and 8 Foot Fence "Were Not Enough - This Building Has A Track Record Of Causing Suicidal Leaning Citizens Achieve Their Goal".............

[ccmay]

In 1988 I got to go outside on the roof of the WTC south tower. It was surreal.

I have leaned over the very edge of the Visor on Half Dome, in Yosemite. It's almost painful, in a way, to see the abyss open up before you. I felt like electricity was running through me.

-ccm

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Probably, "Oh s#!t, why did I do this".

Becky

[The Drowning Witch]

I guess he never learned the Theorem of Flying, which states, and I'm paraphrasing here.....:

An Object will Fly, if it will only MISS THE GROUND IN THE ACT OF FALLING.

[muir_redwoods]

"I have leaned over the very edge of the Visor on Half Dome, in Yosemite. It's almost painful, in a way, to see the abyss open up before you. I felt like electricity was running through me."

I had a similar experience at Zion National Park a few years ago near Angel's Landing. It is indeed surreal to be on good old mother earth and see a drop that far.

[cynwoody]

I know what you mean. In 1988 I got to go outside on the roof of the WTC south tower. It was surreal.

Surreal is one thing. Now try unreal ... the very last WTC tourist!

[El Gran Salseron]

Actually, the experts say that most people who fall and/or jump from great heights usually die of heart failure before they ever hit whatever it was they were aiming for.

[Waco]

Holy hotplate, Batman, a shortcut to Canada?

[Technical Editor]

I went to the 86th floor balcony of the Empire State building once - in 1987. I very quickly turned back and went back inside. Why? Because when I am high up like that, I have an almost incontrollable urge to jump off. I also keep imagining that somebody is going to come up behind me and push me off. I can't explain it. I am not suicidal. I have no wish to die. I often have nightmares about being at the top of a tall building and walking to the very edge of it, looking down, and then jumping off. It's very weird.

This is quite normal, actually. Many people experience the same thing.

[evad]

P E S T

[The Mayor]

Sheldon Silver?

I was hoping........I can dream can't I..?

Nadler?

I'd better stop, don't want to get my hopes up