Downtown's Death Leaps

By Eric Richardson
Published: Tuesday, August 11, 2009, at 10:23AM

1957 Roosevelt Building Leaper Illustration Los Angeles Times

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — The Downtown News this week writes about the six suicide jumps that have taken place thus far in 2009, asking whether there might be an underlying cause for the seemingly high number of cases.

Jumpers, though, are nothing new to Downtown. The archives of the L.A. Times are littered with stories about the cases, which the paper often referred to as "death leaps."

The stories are all tragic, with attempts to explain the situations often trending toward money or relationship issues. Most Downtown structures of ten stories or more have had a leap at some point in their history.

Clusters of leaps aren't new either. On July 21, 1956, the Times described how two men had leaped to death from different Downtown buildings "almost simultaneously" the day previous. Robert Speers, 48, took his life when he "plunged" from the 13th floor fire escape of the Mayfair Hotel in City West, while Henry Albert Ackerman, 33, jumped from 639 S. Spring.

Particularly fascinating is the regularity with which these leaper stories were accompanied by illustrations of the decedent's downward path. Times illustrators drew in dotted paths to show the leaper's take-off and landing points.

One finds it hard to imagine that the paper would do the same today.

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Comments

1
Li writes:

Whoa, I didn't expect to see an actual body flying through the air. Freaky! Great set of pics.

# on Aug.11.2009 AT 01:58 PM
2
Chad writes:

We saw the aftermath of a man who jumped just a few weeks back at the lofts located at 6th and Los Angeles (NW corner). It was very sad, the guy landed in the alley. Fortunately, we didn't see the actual fall.

# on Aug.11.2009 AT 03:02 PM
3
Ravi writes:

The Downtown News article persuaded the readers that factors like the economy were a cop-out and that people who commit suicides are SERIOUSLY mentally ill. I don't see the need to draw that kind of line. Anyone who reaches THAT moment of despair has arrived there through either intrinsic or extrinsic motivational factors (and allegedly in one case this year - purely accidental with no motive).

It would be nice to have some dialogue or direction for those of us who have to live within these trends, residents who cope with safety issues, and for gosh sakes - people who are inconvenienced in travel should be absolutely thankful that they don't have to wash their car after traveling through an underpass.

Once again, Eric, great posting traveling through history.

# on Aug.11.2009 AT 03:18 PM
4
Rich writes:

Chad: I didn't know someone jumped from the Santa Fe Annex. That's the building I live in. I don't think I've heard anything about that from any source. Wow.

# on Aug.11.2009 AT 05:11 PM
5
Chad writes:

Rich: Yes sir, sorry to let you know. We live at Santa Fe, we look west over Los Angeles street and over that parking lot. The resident was on the 9th floor and jumped out his window landing in the alley below.

My fiancee saw the body uncovered (with binoculars) just before the police came. This was around 6am, so not sure if he jumped overnight and nobody noticed till then or around 6am and fortunately she missed having to see that.

Again, happened about 3 weeks ago. Sad.

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 09:11 AM
6
Chad writes:

Rich: I found out more here, http://downtownnews.com/articles/2009/08/10/news/doc4a7ca2e90a355208436679.txt.

The same link mentioned in this article

"On July 20, at about 4 a.m., 27-year-old Daniel Stanley died after falling from his 10th floor apartment at the SB Lofts at 548 S. Spring St. Police have ruled the death a suicide, though at least two of Stanley’s friends insist it was an accident."

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 09:22 AM
7
Eric Richardson writes:

Chad: That means you look west over Main street, not Los Angeles street. I think Rich was alarmed by the idea that there was a different incident on Los Angeles street around the same time. Sounds like instead it was just a little street confusion.

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 09:35 AM
8
Chris writes:

I live in the Bartlett Bldg and have read about 2 jumps that happened in the 1930's. Very interesting, always enjoy your work here on downtown's history. Thanks!

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 10:14 AM
9
Chad writes:

Eric: You are correct! My bad.

We do overlook MAIN street looking west.

Pretty sure it was the SB lofts as mentioned above.

Thanks,

Chad

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 12:46 PM
10
celia writes:

don't forget about the guy who jumped off my roof during my party when i lived at the alexandria...

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 01:30 PM
11
Greg Kr writes:

Trains too. All the time. I film the hopeless who happen to be homeless and the redline is a feast of bodies. Almost daily. No joke, no publicity either, blue meanies and fire fighters stuck with the nasty. When your train is late, which makes you late- theyre cleaning up some pieces at the stop ahead of you, thats all. Tell your boss. He'll try to understand.

# on Aug.12.2009 AT 07:05 PM
12
Ravi writes:

When I was in 8th grade, a vocabulary word of the week was "macabre". We had to use the word in 5 sentences (so it would stick with us). I think Eric's posting and the historical columns on this topic would fit the definition just fine. It's the one-two combo of death/gruesom with fascination.

# on Aug.13.2009 AT 01:51 PM
13
MM writes:

Chad,

The person who fell from SB lofts was a good friend of mine. I saw him recently before his death and I feel strongly that he did not commit suicide. He had a wonderful job that he just would not stop talking about and he was planning on moving into the penthouse of the SB lofts. A week before the incident, I was with him as he picked out furniture for his soon to be new loft out of a catalogue. He was also preparing to go on vacation the next week. The investigators dubbed this a suicide. I guess I just wanted to put it out there in hopes that people would address this as an accident vs a suicide.

# on Aug.17.2009 AT 10:11 PM
14
Michael lund writes:

If anyone whom has Any info on Cheryl I. Donalds SHERRY Whom fell to her death from the Hayward Hotel June 9th 2009 Downtown LA Pleas let me know thank you. iam an old boy freind of hers whom lost touch with this lovely youndg woman. and any info would do my heart good

# on Nov.04.2009 AT 06:18 PM
15
Amy writes:

Micheal, the song to Sherry was beautiful and heartfelt. I wish you well. I didn't know her but I hope you find the answers you are looking for.

# on Nov.16.2009 AT 09:56 PM

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