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[UPDATE] Teen Falls From Roof While Fleeing Cops In The Bronx
By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 3, 2015
Modified Apr 3, 2015
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By
John Del Signore
Published Apr 3, 2015
Modified Apr 3, 2015
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[UPDATE BELOW] An unnamed 17-year-old boy is in critical condition after falling off the roof of a six-story building in the Bronx last night. An NYPD spokesman confirmed that the teenager fell from 2685 Valentine Avenue, an apartment building in Kingsbridge, but would not comment further because the investigation is ongoing. But multiple news outlets are reporting that the young man was fleeing police who approached a group of teens smoking marijuana in the lobby of the building.
Police sources tell the Daily News that the teens scattered when they were approached by officers shortly before 8 p.m, and cops pursued the young man in question as he ran up the stairs to the roof. From the News:
The cornered boy ran to the rear edge of the roof and jumped over a 2- to 3-foot safety wall, apparently trying to reach an adjacent roof, police sources said. But the leap was ill-fated, and the Pelham Bay teen crashed to the ground about 60 feet below, according to the sources.
The two officers were 15 to 20 paces behind the teen when he fell, cop sources said. They called for an ambulance from the roof and then ran down to the teen, the sources said.
“I heard the boom. He fell in the back of my building. When I went out he was on the ground face up,” said Ricardo Santana, the superintendent of the building. "The police were standing over him pumping his chest, I couldn’t tell if he was dead or alive,” Santana said.
The News also reports "a massive police presence" on the block this morning as part of the investigation. We'll update as more information becomes available.
Last month a 15-year-old boy died after falling from the roof of a Crown Heights building. Police said he was trying to jump to an adjacent building on a dare.
Update 3:15 p.m.: The NYPD has issued a statement explaining the official version of what happened last night. According to investigators, cops tried to save the young man from falling off the roof. Here's the NYPD's statement in full:
On Thursday, April 2, 2015 at approximately 1935 hours, four uniformed Impact officers assigned to the 52 Precinct were on foot patrol, walking along Valentine Avenue when they were approached by an unidentified male, black, approximately 40, outside of 2685 Valentine Avenue. The male informed the officers that there was a large group (16 to 19 years old) hanging out in the lobby and smoking marijuana inside the building. After being alerted of this situation, the officers walked to the building to investigate the allegation.
When the officers reached the location they encountered a male with his arms stretched across the entrance of the building attempting to prevent them from entering the location and giving the group an opportunity to flee. Officers ordered the male to remove his arms and entered the building. Police Officers Maria Imburgia and Brian Mahon remained with three individuals (two males and one female) that were in the lobby, while the officers Eduard Solano and Edmundo Rivera followed several males up the south side staircase and entered an alarmed doorway to the roof.
Once on the roof, the officers observed two males run toward the north side. Officers verbally commanded the males to stop, at which time one of the males, a male, black, 17, climbed over a 2-3 foot wall apparently attempting to escape the police. The second male attempted to offer the male, 17, support, but started to lose his footing. Realizing what was occurring, Police officer Rivera grabbed onto the second male to prevent him from falling over the edge. The male, 17, unable to hold on, fell six stories from the roof.
Police Officers Rivera and Solano immediately ran down the stairs, and alerted Officers Imburgia and Mahon, who were inside the lobby that the male had fallen and was in the alleyway of the building. All four Officers responded to the alleyway where the male was observed on the ground, to render aid. At 1937, the Officers notified the dispatcher and requested EMS.
Officer Imburgia, performed chest compressions and cradled the male’s head, while awaiting the arrival of EMS. The male, 17, was removed to St Barnabas hospital in critical condition. During the course of rendering aid to the male, the second male on the roof left the scene. As officers were conducting a canvass at the location, a male, black, 14, approached the detectives and stated that he was the second male on the roof when the male, 17, fell. There has been no arrest and the Investigation is being conducted by the Internal Affairs Bureau.
Tagged
marijuana
nypd
the bronx
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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