A female undergraduate was brought back to safety after attempting to jump off the roof of the 10-story Fresh Grocer parking garage on 40th and Walnut streets yesterday afternoon.
Penn Police, the Philadelphia Police and Fire departments and University and city psychological counselors negotiated with the student for about two hours until she eventually climbed off the ledge and onto the roof’s platform at about 5:20 p.m.
The 23-year-old student, whose name has not been disclosed, had been on leave from the University.
She seemed to fluctuate between calm moments, perched on the ledge while looking out toward Chestnut Street, and hysterical moments, crying and waving her arms as she spoke on a cell phone.
Once she climbed off the ledge, Penn Police officers handcuffed the student, brought her to a police car inside the garage and took her to Mercy Hospital of Philadelphia on 54th and Cedar streets, said a Philadelphia Police officer who was granted anonymity because of privacy regulations.
“We are extremely grateful that the young woman is safe, and we will work with her and her family to see that she gets the help she needs,” the University said in a press statement.
Penn’s Division of Public Safety received a call at 3:39 p.m. about the student, who was described as “distraught about personal issues,” Vice President of Public Safety Maureen Rush said.
The episode forced Philadelphia Police to close 40th Street between Walnut and Chestnut streets from about 3:45 p.m. until 5:45 p.m.
Throngs of students, local residents and passersby crowded the streets, exchanging rumors and guesses about what had happened.
West Philadelphia resident Belinda Grundy voiced the same question as many others: “What would bring a person to get to that state?”
Employees from surrounding businesses, including McDonald’s and the Free Library of Philadelphia Walnut Street West Branch, watched from outside their storefronts, some of whom had witnessed the entire timeline of events.
“We just started praying for her,” McDonald’s General Manager Lourdez Eldridge said.
“I just thank God they got her,” Library employee Latora McColum said. “She needs help. And a lot of prayer.”
Students lingered, too, many expressing concern, confusion and curiosity. Many witnesses averted their eyes when the student stood up to get off the ledge – it appeared she was going to jump – but then applauded her once she was on the roof’s platform.
As witnesses tried to piece together what was going on, members of the Philadelphia Fire Department’s Special Operations division responded by closing off the roof.
Anthony Mongeluzi, an employee of Otis Elevator Company, was called in by the Philadelphia Fire Department to secure an elevator for the firemen.
Some firemen were stationed on the 9th floor, setting up nets underneath the student, while others strapped harnesses onto themselves, prepared to climb up the roof if the need presented itself.
An ambulance and a stretcher were also waiting on the ground.
About 10 minutes after sitting back on the roof’s platform, the student stood up, apparently to return to the ledge, but one of the two negotiators stopped and stabilized her.
Philadelphia Police is not pressing any charges against the student, who will likely be held in the hospital for a two to three day evaluation, the Philadelphia Police officer said.
- Staff Writers Emily Babay, Anthony Campisi, Ashwin Shandilya and Jacob Schutz contributed reporting to this story.
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