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NJ Idiot Crashes Drone Into Empire State Building

By

Jen Chung

Published Feb 5, 2016

Modified Feb 5, 2016

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By

Jen Chung

Published Feb 5, 2016

Modified Feb 5, 2016

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A Jersey City resident thought it would be a great idea to fly his drone in midtown Manhattan yesterday. Of course, he ended up crashing it into the 40th floor of the Empire State Building.

NBC New York reports that Sean Nivin Riddle was trying "to take pictures and apparently lost control of the aircraft."

According to the Post, "The flying machine hit the 40th floor at about 7:50 p.m. and fell to an overhang on the 35th floor, cops said. No one was hurt... [Riddle] then entered the lobby and spoke with security, ­casually asking to retrieve the hobby craft, sources said. Security guards summoned cops, who busted Riddle on charges of reckless endangerment and criminal mischief."

Don't worry—he Tweeted about it:

The NYPD and FBI both responded to the incident, but, NBC New York adds, "Investigators said that they do not believe the crash was intentional." Last year, a NYC school teacher crashed his drone into the stadium during a U.S. Open match; luckily the section was empty.

Tagged

drone

drone crash

empire state building

idiot

Jen Chung

Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.

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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations

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