Repeat Jumper Disrupts Loop

By Matt Wood in News on Feb 28, 2007 9:06PM

We can only imagine that a person threatening to jump off of a crane in the middle of rush hour ranks up there with bank robbery hostage situations and Jack Bauer-style terrorist demands on a list of a police negotiator’s dream day at work.
 
This morning around 7 a.m. a jumper closed down most of State Street in the north Loop. The man was threatening to jump off of a crane at the construction site at State and Randolph.
 
While we don’t want to seem flippant about the situation, the man doesn’t seem like his purpose was to jump.  Not only is the man a repeat offender, but according to the Tribune, he was only on the crane to attract attention to a recent court case he lost.  In fact, the negotiator had actually talked this man down on a previous occasion according to a Chicago police spokeswoman.
 
The man was talked down by 10 a.m., but not before hundreds of onlookers had gathered, numerous police and fire vehicles were called in, the construction site was secured and emptied, and six CTA buses were rerouted.
 
Chicagoist has noted that the presence of the new ABC 7 Studio at State and Randolph has become a sort of epicenter for tourists, homeless, and the slightly deranged.  Never underestimate the power of a camera and the chance for fleeting fame on the local 10 o’clock news.

Thanks Lou!

Image from Glasgow Architecture.