Occupy San Diego: Man Reportedly Dead After Falling From Civic Center Garage
[Update: Police say the man, who jumped off the eighth story of the parking structure, does not appear to have ties to the Occupy San Diego protest. The San Diego Union-Tribune says his political fliers read, "Important Message to Intelligent Earthlings From Your Creator." The OSD protesters held a candlelight vigil last night instead of a march.]
NBC San Diego Occupiers had just recently set up camp at the Civic Center.
[Update: Reaction from Occupy San Diego organizers and a very graphic, NSFW photo of the jumper at bottom of post. Police now tell Channel 6 that the "downtown falling death appears to be a suicide." But the Times says "political pamphlets were found in his pockets." CBS8 reports that the 42-year-old victim died at 3:15 p.m. "It was just horrible," says a witness. "I'll never forget that sound."]
Cal Fire News and CBS8 are reporting that an Occupy San Diego protester has died after "falling off of a parking garage at the Civic Center."
The Occupy movement only recently spread to L.A.'s smaller sister city in Southern California. Around 500 protesters marched to the Civic Center on Saturday, setting up camp to wait out justice like many Occupy groups around the country.
Los Angeles' protests have been notably peaceful -- 10 protesters were arrested fro trespassing (and trying to cash a $673 billion check) at a Bank of America branch downtown last week, but that's about it.
New York's have been a little rougher, with NYPD macings, (alleged) use of excessive force and hundreds of arrests. But overall, the Occupy experience has been quite a positive one. This reported fatality comes as a huge shock.
Details to come as we receive them.
[Photo has been removed at the request of the victim's family.]
Update: Blogger Frank Gormile described a cozy scene outside the Civic Center the last few days:
"The Occupy Village at the Civic Center is now moving through its fourth day - and tonight will be the fourth night. There is truly a remarkable scene developing here at Civic Center Plaza. A new village is being born right here in the shadow of the big city, and new ways of relating and talking with other each other are trying to take root in the sandy soil of San Diego."
We're trying to find out what went wrong -- why someone was on top on the parking garage, and what caused them to tumbe off it. Cal Fire News has Tweeted, "1 confirmed dead may of been trying to hang #OccupyWallStreet Banner from parking garage," and then, "LE confirms 1 dead @ #occupysd NO Gunplay, one dead at base of parking structure."
Update: Here's the latest from NBC San Diego.
A person is dead after falling from the top of the San Diego Concourse parking structure at the San Diego Civic Center during the Occupy San Diego protest Tuesday.The person fell or jumped from the top floor of the multi-level structure, near a fountain, police said.
The Concourse parking structure is located right alongside the Civic Center.
Update: Toby Benjamin of Occupy San Diego responds to the death of a comrade.
"Today was a day of great loss for Occupy San Diego, and the World - one of the 99%, lost his life. While the events leading to this tragedy remain under investigation, we are deeply saddened by the loss. We ask that all Occupations join us in observing a moment of silence tonight, as a sign of respect and solidarity.May his soul know peace, may we all learn and grow, and may our grief remain positive and productive. We are all the 99%."
Update: Consensus among police sources and news outlets, by 5:30 p.m., is that the death was most likely a suicide. The jumper's identity, and whether he was a protester, is not yet known -- but first responders did find him with political pamphlets in his pockets. OSD will reportedly be hosting a vigil in his honor tonight at the Civic Center encampment.
Update: The San Diego Reader posted the following photo of the awful accident near OSD's base camp.
[Photo has been removed at the request of the victim's family.]
R.I.P.
[@simone_electra/swilson@laweekly.com]
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