The wave of suicides continues: a teenager jumped from the Vessel art skyscraper in front of a dumbfounded family

On Thursday, July 29, a 14-year-old boy jumped from the Vessel art skyscraper in Hudson Yards in front of a frightened family. Due to this, the Midtown tourist attraction may be closed permanently. Writes about it New York Post.

According to police, the teenager jumped from the eighth floor of the building and crashed to his death.

“We are heartbroken over this tragedy and are thinking about the family of a boy who lost his life,” said Hudson Yards spokeswoman Kimberly Winston. - We are conducting a full investigation. Vessel is currently out of service. "

This closure may be final.

Stephen Ross, developer of Vessel, is deciding whether to close it permanently due to the latest suicide - the fourth in two years.

“It seemed we did everything that could really prevent this,” Ross discouraged. "It's hard to imagine how it happened."

Sources said the New Jersey boy was with his parents, sister, grandmother at the time - and said nothing before the fatal jump.

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His family declined to comment.

Anthony DeMayo, a construction worker who was across the street at the time, remembered hearing the sound when the boy hit the ground.

“I'll never forget that sound,” DeMayo said. "It's awful that this is going on."

Irina Popov, a Massachusetts tourist, agreed that there are a lot of precautions to take.

“There are a couple of guards at each level, but if you want to jump, no one can stop you,” she said.

The boy, whose name has not been released, is the fourth person to commit suicide at the tourist attraction since it opened two years ago.

This year, the 150-foot vertical sculpture was closed for four months after several suicides.

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Vessel reopened in May, but the owner decided not to make any drastic changes that could affect the aesthetics.

Instead, a security plan was put in place, requiring people to come in groups of at least two. Also, “screening procedures to identify risky behavior” have been introduced.

Ross said that security personnel are on every level and keep an eye on people.

But, he noted, "the family of five did not fit the profile of the security service."

Anyone with suicidal thoughts is strongly advised to call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 800-273-8255.

As ForumDaily New York wrote earlier:

• Skyscraper Vessel at Hudson Yards was closed on January 12 2021 indefinitely due to suicides. Three suicides were committed at this tourist attraction in a year.
• 28 May Vessel reopens to visitors... However, the administration introduced a number of rules for his visit, which were supposed to prevent suicides. In particular, it was forbidden to climb the site alone.