Photo: Nick Fisher Flickr
What kind of person would tell a suicidal man to jump? Or laugh after the man throws himself from a 3rd story window ledge to his death below. But that’s exactly what some people did when a guy in turquoise boxer shorts stood on the ledge of his loft apartment window (over the Forever 21 Store in San Francisco, CA) for approximately 15 minutes before he jumped. A large crowd gathered below, and as the man seemed to contemplate whether to jump or not, they videotaped and tweeted about the ordeal, finding entertainment rather than tragedy in the whole heartbreaking situation. And though some people shouted for him not to jump, others callously encouraged him to do so, according to San Francisco resident Terence Prasad and other eye-witnesses who commented on the San Francisco Examiner coverage of the suicide.
c
Feb 16, 2010i was there and im traumatized. the guys next to me were laughing telling him to jump and videotaping the whole thing. i’m still young and in high school and this is gunna stick with me for the rest of my life. there was a total lack of respect for the poor man and people were laughing when he jumped.
Jon Barnhardt
Feb 16, 2010I was passing by and witnessed the suicide. I looked away, but the sound of the impact will stay with me forever. The fact that I saw people in the crowd laughing less than 10 seconds after the man’s death may be more disturbing than actually watching him die. May he rest in peace.
Robert Kolbe
Feb 16, 2010I walked by just as the police were covering him up.
I asked a couple what had happened and the man responded yes — laughingly. I asked him if he thought it was funny.
He then gave me a kind of funny look and didn’t say anything.
How very sad this man died this way. People, please be nice to each other.
Wilfred Galila
Feb 17, 2010I watched this man standing on the ledge a few moments before he jumped. He was thinking and hesistating. I exclaimed that I hope that man is not going to jump and a lady replied that if he really wants to do it, he should already have done it.
It is very disturbing then to learn that there were people who did encourage him to jump. Society has become so desensitized and human life reduced to an amusement and a spectacle.
jchuckp
Feb 17, 2010I saw the whole thing…..wish I didn’t. I was so disgusted at the severe lack of respect shown by so many in the crowd. All of the people who were encouraging him to jump…..may your souls burn for all eternity.
mary
Feb 17, 2010If only the loooosers who were yelling jump would add to the spectacle by jumping themselves . . .
It would be fantastic to be rid of them !Ef
Feb 17, 2010I was there and felt sickened for this man’s life. What was going through his mind? He looked like his wasn’t sure if he really wanted to jump. I feel like he could have been talked out of it, if the suicide help person was able to get into his apartment. I feel that the crowd’s actions encouraged him to jump. This is a very sad, dark society we live in. It makes me scared to walk the streets with these heartless people. Rest in Peace, And may the Lord have Mercy on your soul!
Kenny
Feb 17, 2010According to the police, the young man was apparently distraught over a breakup with his girlfriend. The fact that suicide was the young man’s choice was bad enough. I had a hard time with overhearing and observing people joking and finding amusement with this tragic event. Have the youth of today lost their senses of compassion and judgment? Unfortunately, I believe they have…
The common consensus was that had there been enough people encouraging him not to end his life, rather then telling him to jump, perhaps the ending of this story would have had a happy one. What kind of sick society takes pleasure in the demise of a fellow human being? And from the comments, it appears that many of the bystanders were young. If so, it’s a sad indictment of our youth today. But regardless of age, it is incumbent upon us all to care for our brothers and sisters in need.
