Police are on the scene in the courtyard behind 536 E. Fifth St., where residents awoke this morning to news that a young man either fell or jumped to his death from the roof of the 6th-floor building.
Detectives in the building told a resident that the victim was "stripping off his clothing as he went up to the roof, and that he was most likely high" at the time, estimated at 5:15 a.m. Police have not said if the young man intentionally jumped or fell.
According to the building resident, the victim was a recent college graduate who did not live at the address here between Avenue A and Avenue B.
"Not sure what exactly he was doing here, but the kids in the building often have parties — though we didn’t hear anything last night," the resident told us. "It's really sad."
can I just say I live here. i was awoken by everything, then opened the door to tell them to shut up, and saw EMTs trying to save him. I have not been able to sleep since this woke me up at 4:30am because the 9th precinct was 'securing the scene' very loudly outside my door until 1pm this afternoon. And then they just left the blood there for all of use to see or step into. Now its covered in snow, so we'll see it again in a week. Geez so sad, so hard to have to see it everytime i walk down the stairs
ReplyDeleteI lived in the connected building next door, we always said something like this could happen. That roof is not safe in the slightest
ReplyDeletecan I just say I'm underwhelmed by the compassion of these comments.
ReplyDeleteIt's really sad - and yes, the roof is really dangerous. The alarm is disabled, the door to the roof is unlocked and often open, and the ledge is perfect height for sitting and/or falling off of. Another kid fell off about 10 or so years ago. He survived, but only because he hit the garbage cans below. Still ended up in a wheelchair. No such luck this time.
ReplyDeleteSeriously? You were rudely awakened by this tragedy and are now publicly complaining about how it affects your delicate senses? Or was that a joke comment meant to make fun of narcissistic youth?
ReplyDeleteSomeone died do we really need to criticize each other?
ReplyDeleteSome one died and you are bitching about the 9th Precinct doing their job?? Think of this kid's family. Maybe be a good person and clean off the blood yourself and be happy he wasn't a member of your family. I hope you didn't know him because your eulogy would be gross. Just like your selfishness.
ReplyDeleteI agree with some of the former comments. Those who are mocking or making light of the situation should be ashamed of themselves. Somebody died. Where is your humanity or compassion? What is wrong with you? I can assure if someone close to you died in such a way, you would not being make a joke nor claiming how difficult things will be afterwards. Shut the fuck up for Christ's sake. Where's your heart?
ReplyDeleteSo sad. I am surprised it hasn't happened in my building. We aren't supposed to go on the roof. It's an old tenement, and there isn't a fence or anything around the top, but the kids in the building like to party up there anyway. I am always scared one of them is going to trip and go over the edge.
ReplyDeleteVery sad. And as often as I look down at the 20 something's in our neighborhood, I should never throw stones. In college I fell from a balcony , drunk, three floors . I was in a coma, broke several bones, etc. My family was devastated, and I lived. Maybe the girl offended by the blood stained sidewalk could volunteer to speak to college students about the danger of binge drinking. Love to that child's parents and family and friends.
ReplyDeleteCan I just say, as usual, I agree w VH.
ReplyDeletemy reading of the first comment is different. i hear someone shocked and saddened by the tragedy and the graphic reminder of it every time they walk past; and upset that there is no process for any clean-up. maybe if you had a blood-spattered sidewalk (and we're not talking dried blood here) and medical waste scattered around your apartment building, that you and your children had to walk past or through several times a day, after being shocked awake by a maddening ruckus you then found out was a terrible death, you'd be a little more sympathetic to their experience and response.
ReplyDeleteThat is kind of you but they are also complaining about being woken up because of the loud police. Its much more complaining and self centered than empathetic. It's true there is no clean up. EMTs regularly leave blood soaked things right at the scene. And I have seen it and it is upsetting but that comment doesn't read as you describe.
ReplyDelete^^ that's nonsense. That person has zero empathy for the deceased boy and his family. As a matter of fact, the blood and medical equipment was cleaned-up that day, so there is nothing to complain about. Please don't try and justify the selfish narrow minded nature of that person, it is abhorrent. And to be honest, I think you are probably the same person. Just be thankful that you actually get to wake-up in the morning...
ReplyDeleteThis is terribly sad. RIP
ReplyDeleteToo slippery out there.
Melanie
East Village Corner
Anon 11:37.
ReplyDeleteHi its me that intial poster who is a horrible person according to everyone else. Yes, you are correct in your interpretation and I can only apologize for not making myself more sympathetic sounding after getting no sleep and staring at blood all day. Hell no, I would not clean up blood of someone i didn't know without proper attire.
And I'm also more upset than sad because this could have been prevented by a) not getting so wasted, and b) if the other tenets in this building would stop breaking the fire exit to the roof.
Mainly no one reacts to death the same way, and to judge someones traumatized reaction is easy, so go for it. but whatevs... judgment is a safe and easy way to feel better about ourselves behind screens.
All the self-righteous people attacking the first poster, so strikingly different from all the posts we always see here about bros and sluts and trustfund babies and those damn nyu kids ruining the neighborhood... Hypocrites. Think twice before you next spew outrage about bros and hos in santa costumes etc vomiting in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteWe should blame birdman.
ReplyDeleteand i am the person who was assumed to be the original commenter…kudos to the original commenter for your response!
ReplyDeleteand to the others: astonishing that people who so loudly decry a lack of compassion and empathy are so certain of their assessment of another’s inner state - based on a few lines on the internet, no less - and so utterly unwilling to entertain another point of view. your strange assumption that i and the o.c. are the same (though based on conversations yesterday, i think i do in fact know this person, and if i’m right i’d wager they have spent more of their life’s time and energy doing actual good for others than ten of you), and your repeated, unrelentingly vituperative and judgmental comments, tell us far more about you than about the o.c.
meanwhile, we mostly lose sight of this terrible event, undoubtedly heartbreaking for anyone with personal involvement. however this happened, we can certainly do better at protecting our kids - we’ll never be able to completely protect them, of course, but i hope that this building is inspected and if the landlord has been at all negligent, they are brought to justice somehow. as for the drugs, if they were involved…well, i don’t know that there was any way to keep me from recreational drug use, i’m lucky i survived. but maybe we can do better with that, too.
I guess I the worst of the worst. When these drunken brats raise a ruckus on my roof till 4am complete with screaming, loud drinking games, and plenty of 'woooooo!', I hope for at least one of them to fall off the roof.
ReplyDeleteI think I am just honest enough to admit it.
You're a shithead. He was my good friend. You should throw your Gross self off the fucking roof. He was an amazing kid.
DeleteMaybe you could tell us a little bit about your friend. The whole situation is really tragic, and no one know who he was, or what happened. It might put to rest all of the crappy comments about him.
ReplyDeleteHe was an engineer who had worked really hard to get through college and had started a great job in 2014. He was the type of person who would help you out no matter how long it had been since you last spoke. He was kind, caring, down to earth and yet so cool at the same time. He would help you with anything and would never expect anything in return. Very loyal, trustworthy and someone you would want to have around at any event you went to- he was open minded and non judgmental and cared much for others' well being. He had a very promising future ahead of him, and I have no doubt he would have become a leader in his industry and his community. He was highly educated and a model example of what our university wanted it's alumni to be like. It is not fair to speculate what had happened on that night, which this article does a bit. What's fair is to mourn the loss of someone who was such a positive influence on the word and mourn the loss of the future positive influence he would have had. If we each do a little bit more, be a little more caring and helpful, it will certainly not replace his presence in this world but it will surely be an honor to him and he will smile down at us for doing so from wherever he may be now.
ReplyDeleteThat is sad, and it's a real shame on every level. I can only imagine what his family must be feeling.
ReplyDeleteAs to the article, it's based on what the detectives were saying in the building when they came around and interviewed the residents. According to them, he had left articles of clothing (belt, shirt)leading up the stairs. They didn't find a jacket or cell phone, which lead them to believe that he was visiting an apartment in the building, esp. since it was a cold night. They were also showing pictures of him in his university graduation cap and gown as well as picture of him after the fall, in hopes of getting more information on him.
Regardless of what happened, the landlord needs to secure the roof - for the same accident to happen twice (even if the last time was 15 years ago) in exactly the same spot is inexcusable.
I'm so sorry about your friend, anon 7:46. Take care of yourself.
ReplyDeleteAnyone know where to send flowers or tributes?
ReplyDeleteTo the friend - mate, I'm so sorry for your loss brother. I was the guy who heard the accident and went to help your mate. I called the paramedics - they arrived in a couple of minutes but unfortunately his injuries were too severe. If it means anything, please know that your mate wasn't alone when he passed, I was there keeping him company. I can imagine that you and his family must have so many questions regarding the circumstances of his death...you're more than welcome to contact me at jezza_65@hotmail.com if you wish.
ReplyDeletebest wishes,
Jeremy
I emailed you, hopefully it doesn't go to your spam folder
DeleteJeremy,
ReplyDeleteThe world needs more people like you.