Flashing red lights flooded Second Avenue while sirens cut through the damp October air early Wednesday morning as NYPD officers worked to stop a man perched atop an Upper East Side building from jumping — ultimately unable to prevent his fatal leap from the ledge.
Photographs viewed by Upper East Site show the man, who has not been identified by police, sitting on the rooftop of 1707 Second Avenue, between East 88th and 89th Streets, just before 5:00 am.
Officers on scene called in the NYPD’s specialized Emergency Services Unit and Hostage Negotiation Team to bring the suicidal man down safely, to no avail.
ALSO READ | Crazy Overnight Taxi Crash Miraculously Misses Sleeping Homeless Man: Witness
Photos seen by Upper East Site show the man leap from the rooftop and plunge some six stories to the sidewalk. His body laying twisted on the concrete in front of JJ Brown Cup coffee and The UES ice cream shop, as officers rushed to the man’s aid.
FDNY officials say paramedics raced the man to Weill Cornell Medical Center — that’s where police say he was pronounced dead.
Neighbors curious about the early morning commotion were stunned and saddened to learn of the man’s suicide.
“God help him. so sad,” one man told Upper East Site, shaken by the scene he came upon.
ALSO READ | One-Man Crime Spree Responsible for UES Bank Robberies: NYPD
“This city is fucked up,” another man told us, “I don’t know why I moved back.”
According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, someone dies from suicide in the five boroughs every 16 hours.
These tragedies are preventable, the agency says, by first recognizing the warning signs in loved ones.
- Talking about death or suicide
- Talking about hopelessness
- Losing interest in activities
- Displaying mood swings
- Giving away possessions
- Saying goodbye to family or friends
Anyone seeking support with their mental health or contemplating self harm can connect with trained counselors by calling 888-NYC-WELL, texting “WELL” to 65173 or chat online at nyc.gov/nycwell — or by dialing 9-8-8 for The Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
For updates around the clock, follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook
