Suicide at Kings Plaza
Tragedy struck this morning, when an elderly man leapt to his death at Kings Plaza Mall in the Mill Basin neighborhood of south Brooklyn. The man, who was in his 80s, hailed from the Far Rockaways and drove into the parking structure with the intent to jump from the roof of the building. Sources state that the gentleman had underlying health conditions, and “didn’t want to be a burden on family”.
The incident occurred around 8:30 in the morning, as people headed to work along the crowded intersection at Flatbush Avenue and Avenue U. Allegedly, the man climbed a ladder on the parking garage’s roof and plunged to his death. The scene unfolded rather gruesomely, with the man’s body so mangled that responding police officers needed to erect a tent to shield the body from onlookers.
The mall, which was not open at the time of the incident, is no stranger to tragedy; in recent years, altercations have ranged from a massive fire that ripped through the parking structure just over four years ago and a shooting that occurred inside Kings Plaza just last year. The man’s identity has yet to be released, pending family notification.
This is an ongoing story.
Photos By Bruce Cotler
Story By Emily Cotler