Base jump from new WTC condemned as 'lawless, selfish'

[webfact]

WORLD TRADE CENTER
Base jump from new WTC condemned as 'lawless, selfish'

New York - New York City authorities on Tuesday condemned a "lawless and selfish" parachute jump from the top of nation's tallest building.

The jump from One World Trade Center through the lower part of New York City "clearly endangered the public," Port Authority chief security officer Joseph Dunne said. He vowed that the Port Authority, which owns the site, and police"will go to any length to bring those who defile the WTC site tojustice.

"The New York Police Department on Monday arrested four men, who were charge with burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from astructure.

"These men violated the law and placed themselves, as well as others, in danger," NYPD Commissioner William Bratton said. "These arrests should send a message to anyone thinking about misusing a landmark this way."

Three men jumped by parachute through the dark while a fourth man kept watch below at 3 am on September 30.

They filmed the stunt with cameras attached to their helmets as they landed at a designated spot near a highway in the city, according to The New York Times.

The men climbed the stairs of the 104-floor building without encountering any security guards.The jump raised concerns about the security of the new World Trade Center, which is being built in the same area where once the iconicTwin Towers were felled by two hijacked planes on September 11, 2001.

Last week, 16-year-old Justin Casquejo managed to reach the roof ofthe World Trade Center by slipping through a fence, taking an elevator to the 88th floor and sneaking past security guards. He even climbed the building’s metal spire but was arrested on his way out atthe lobby.

"We just kind of walked in," Andrew Rossig, 33, one of the parachutists, was quoted in The New York Times as saying.

"It’s supposed to be the most secure building in the world. God forbid itwas somebody else getting in there with a real intention to harm New Yorkers."


-- The Nation 2014-03-26

[JoePai]

They need to be hung, drawn and quartered for this dastardly act

[Costas2008]

They need to be hung, drawn and quartered for this dastardly act

They need to improve security, and prevent people from going up the roof.

Save them the bother to hung them.

[draftvader]

To be honest I'm normally very into base jumpers. This time, however, I feel it is very disrespectful. We all watched as people decided to jump from the WTC in 2001. They didn't have parachutes. Jumping off with one is just poor taste.

[bangarang]

To be honest I'm normally very into base jumpers. This time, however, I feel it is very disrespectful. We all watched as people decided to jump from the WTC in 2001. They didn't have parachutes. Jumping off with one is just poor taste.

Im over it already it was over a decade ago. Worse things happen to people every day around the world. One thing I don't miss about living in US is how uptight everyone is. "clearly endangered the public," Seriously? This is a trained professional. I think you have to worry more about the dangers to the public lurking on the streets. Dangerous stunt but its just another building. Its all about jumping off these new very tall buildings, plus this is probably the only time it would be able to do so.

And comparing this to the victims of the WTC tragedy in 2001 with not having parachutes therefore its unfair for the jumpers to have parachutes is just rubbish. Bad things happen to human life everyday and we all need to push on and enjoy life. Im not saying to forget the past, but at least remember but move on and progress.

[tsigane]

Write BS laws and waste money on enforcing them. As if the country is not bankrupt already.

Having experienced it myself, I feel sorry for all the adventurers in the US who

are being persecuted.

It's got nothing to do with 9-11. People simply want to get a little thrill. They jumped late at night,

didn't endanger anyone. People do a lot more reckless things endangering people around them

without any consequences.

The risk BASE jumpers undertake by jumping is far greater than any fine they are facing. They are

three happy campers and I'm happy for them.

[Bpuumike]

They need to be hung, drawn and quartered for this dastardly act

And jailed for 370 years, then face the death penalty by lethal injection and if they survive that then sent to the electric chair and...

I detect some over reaction by the US authorities who are probably embarassed by their own lack of security.

Fortunately they were harmless base jumpers and luckily no-one more sinister.

[Wombat6]

I don't condemn these guys for what they did. The Authorities should use the Thai Philosophy, If the wern't there it wouldn't have happend..ie...if the securiy was up to the required standard they could not have jumped. As with the guy who rode an elevator in the building on his way to the top....why was the power to the lifts on??

[bkk_mike]

I think they should be treated like the tightrope walker that walked between the old twin towers in the 70s.

I.e. arrested for trespass as what they did is obviously illegal. But probably community service rather than jail time.

The ones who should suffer are the people who set up security. Some people there should be losing their jobs.

[culicine]

They should be rewarded for showing how lax building security is. Wouldn't take much for would-be terrorists to plant a nice sized bomb in it. I'd expect to see security seriously beefed up now.

[NeverSure]

"The New York Police Department on Monday arrested four men, who were charge with burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from astructure."

(Who proof read this, anyway?)

On this forum we have a lot of back and forth about the rule of law in our home countries vs Thailand. Burglary is a serious offense in the US and will be prosecuted. The other two offenses are minor and might get plead out.

My guess is that to avoid the cost of a trial, there will be a plea bargain. Burglary in the third degree which is a felony in New York but might result in probation rather than jail, and the other two charges dropped. The government gets its pound of flesh by putting a felony on the perps' records, spends little money, and the message is well sent to the public to knock it off.

A felony on your record is a big deal. You can't own guns or even live in a house where there are any, you are prohibited from holding certain jobs, most employers won't hire you, you lose your freedom to travel at will because you can't have a passport while you're on probation...

Probation will probably be two or three years. During that time they will have to regularly report to their probation officers.

They screwed up.

[NeverSure]

I was once in court for a hearing to evict a tenant from one of my properties for not paying rent.

While I was waiting, there was a quick bench trial for a guy who was charged with a minor burglary not in a residence or commercial building. (A rural farm building.)

The perp was trying to argue that he didn't know anyone was using the barn, etc. etc. I'll never forget what the judge told him:

"There are just two kinds of property. There's your property, and there's not your property. It's up to you to know the difference."

IIRC the guy got a fine rather than jail or probation. No tea money fine - a real fine.

[pacovl46]

So how exactly did they endanger others by jumping off the building???

[Credo]

They jumped from a building. They cannot positively predict where they are going to land. That means they could land on someone or something. Was the area closed to any type of air traffic, such as helicopters?

I can hear the howls of condemnation had they jumped and something happened.

[cloghead]

Totally awesome...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iYS2TXo6iz0

[speedtripler]

Totally awesome...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=iYS2TXo6iz0

its cool video but i think it would have been better if they waited until dawn and recorded the jump in daylight

lucky he didnt land in front of a fast moving vehicle

[bendejo]

Looked like he had things in control, the streets were empty, made sure the few vehicles there all saw him, didn't land in the intersection.

No harm done.

Good video, I'm guessing GoPro.

[hanno]

They jumped from a building. They cannot positively predict where they are going to land. That means they could land on someone or something. Was the area closed to any type of air traffic, such as helicopters?

I can hear the howls of condemnation had they jumped and something happened.

I, like most people, did many stupid stunts as a kid. It was luck more than anything else that I did not kill myself or others. But as far as I am concerned, that is all a part of growing up and I am damn glad I did did not grow up today where the nanny states are constantly telling people what is good for them.

[ravip]

They need to be hung, drawn and quartered for this dastardly act

Ssshhhhhh! You must be more humane...