Man plummets to death at Occupy San Diego rally; tragedy raises questions

[Liberty Belle]

Source: East County Magazine

October 11, 2011 (San Diego)—The sound of a man plummeting to his death will likely haunt the hundreds who heard it yesterday afternoon at the Civic Center Plaza. I was interviewing protesters at the Occupy San Diego encampment when I heard what sounded like a small explosion, followed by a thunderous crash. Looking up, I saw a parking garage wall spattered with blood and brains.


“Someone jumped,” a voice nearby shouted as gasps of horror rippled through the crowd. But was it really a suicide? Troubling details and eyewitness accounts suggest the man who plunged to his death may have been the victim of a tragic accident, or possibly even foul play.





Read more: http://www.eastcountymagazine.org/node/7529

---

I was there and it was horrific. No one knows his identity yet, or what really happened. If anyone saw him jump or fall, or saw him before this occurred, please pm me.

Warning: article link has a somewhat graphic photo of blood on a wall, though body is not shown except after covered by a tarp.

[Nostradammit]

1. While I am very sorry that you had to be there to witness this

Would you please put a Graphic Photo warning in your thread title for the sake of others who
know themselves to be too sensitive to such things?

Thank you.

[Liberty Belle]

3. Added into the comments; no room in title thread.

I was actually very surprised the police weren't shooing people with cameras away. This story does NOT contain photos of the body, except after it was discreetly covered by a tarp.

The photographer excercised discretion, though some there did not.

[elocs]

6. Due to LBN rules the OP is not allowed to alter the thread title:

Use the EXACT TITLE of the article you are posting, without additional comment. If there is no title yet, be descriptive.

[rasputin1952]

2. Very sad....

:(

[Sirveri]

4. need to keep an eye on this one.

[florida08]

5. oh no

Am so sorry. Hope information will be forthcoming. Poor family.
:-(

[MindPilot]

7. Occupy SD turns march into vigil after suicide

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

The Occupy San Diego movement maintained momentum Monday despite the apparent suicide of a man who jumped from the eighth floor of a parking garage next to the plaza where hundreds of protesters have camped for days.

Based upon a preliminary investigation and witness interviews, police Capt. Mark Jones said the man did not appear to be affiliated with the group protest against corporate greed and is believed to have jumped.

snip

Assistant Police Chief Boyd Long said the protest has been peaceful and respectful since its start on Friday, and that while the encampment outside City Hall is illegal, there are no plans to stop it.

“They’re out here exercising their First Amendment freedom of speech, and the police are down here to help them exercise it,” Long said.


Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/oct/10/occupy-san-diego-continues-despite-suicide/

---

The police here seem to be bucking the trend....maybe they realize they too are in the 99%

[bananas]

8. On the TV news, they said it wasn't a suicide, he was hanging flyers and fell. nt

edit to add a link:
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/131484003.html

Man Falls to Death During Occupy SD
By Lindsay Hood
| Tuesday, Oct 11, 2011 | Updated 5:43 AM PDT

A man fell to his death from the top of a parking structure during the Occupy San Diego protest Monday.

While San Diego police initially ruled the fall a suicide, new information released by the county's medical examiner overnight suggests the man was trying to hang flyers on the outside walls of the San Diego Concourse parking structure around 3:30 p.m when he lost his balance and fell to his death.

" a male falling from the parking structure and there were no other individuals around him at that time," SDPD Capt. Mark Jones said Monday night.

Witness saw flyers around the man, but they are unsure if they belonged to the victim, Jones said.

Police said Monday night the man was not part of the protest at the San Diego Civic Center. However, his identity has not been released pending notification of family. The medical examiner said the man was a San Diego resident.

<snip>

[alfredo]

9. that is sad. Happy to see the SD police acting in an ethical

manner. The Lexington, Ky police have been very supportive of our protest.

Pictures from Lexington
http://www.flickr.com/photos/alfredo_tomato/sets/72157627666611013/

[Kind of Blue]

10. So sad. It was cool of Occupy SD to

hold a candlelight vigil instead of a march.

[struggle4progress]

11. Man Who Died Near Occupy SD Identified

Man was suspect of manslaughter
By Sarah Grieco
Wednesday, Oct 12, 2011 | Updated 4:12 PM PDT

The man who was found dead beneath a downtown parking structure Monday afternoon has been identified as 42-year-old Kyle Pearson, who was facing manslaughter charge.

Pearson was supposed to appear in court yesterday afternoon, according to Imperial County Deputy District Attorney Jeffrey Brooker.

Pearson was going to set a trial date for his alleged involvement in a car accident that left a CALTRANS worker dead in El Centro last June. Pearson was allegedly using marijuana when he fatally struck Jamie Obeso, according to Brooker ...

http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/occupy-san-diego-kyle-pearson-death-131632818.html

Other current news stories suggest authorities believe the death may be a suicide

[mrdmk]

12. The Police, to their credit, have been very cooperative with the Civic Center Plaza Demonstrators

These two pictures were taken last Sunday 10/09/2011



A beginning of the march in the streets, with the parking garage in the background




Marching in the streets with a police escort. This event is very coordinated with city officials.


It is sad a death had occurred at this civil upraising. My heart goes out to family and friends of the accident victim.

[shanti]

13. how horrific!

edited as further info has come in.

this was strange though:

"According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, flyers reading “Important message to intelligent earthlings from your creators” were found near his body..."

[Liberty Belle]

14. Not that strange. There were signs lying all around the perimeter of the camp.

[shanti]

15. ok...

the story led one to believe that the flyers were just lying around him. perhaps he was distributing them? not to mention the topic...

[Devil_Fish]

16. maby he was a 1%er...

[snooper2]

17. Jesus I've never seen so much speculation in one article in my life

:eyes:


"If the unknown man truly did leap to his death, perhaps distraught from loss of a job or home in the current economy, then his death carries a deeper meaning."