Suicidal man urged to jump by crowd

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...=feeds-newsxml

Quote:

Police said footage and photographs of the incident in Portsmouth had later been posted on various websites and on YouTube.
Officers had cordoned off part of a road after the man, who was drinking from a can of lager, was seen clambering over shop roofs on Tuesday morning.
He eventually stopped on the bridal shop roof and a 100-strong crowd gathered in the street below.
Witness Timothy Braithwaite said he was horrified at the ghoulish behaviour of those taking videos.
‘There was a woman with kids filming it, I don’t understand how you can be there with kids in the first place, never mind filming it. It’s disgusting,’ he said.

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The injured man’s parents, who said the incident was ‘completely out of character’, condemned the actions of those involved.
In a statement, they said: ‘He is a vulnerable man who has had to deal with some significant challenges in his life and when he clearly needed compassion and understanding was met with cruel taunts and encouragement to end his life. Despite this, he is hanging on in hospital and we are hoping he will recover. If he does, he will have a long journey ahead.
‘The behaviour of those at the scene on Tuesday shows a lack of understanding for people like our son and what they may be going through.’
A woman in a nearby office described hearing people encouraging the man to kill himself.

Patrol car: Hampshire Police were trying to talk the man down from the top of the building while some members of the public shouted at him to jump
‘There were some people shouting at the man to jump – one man who shouted was angry because he couldn’t get to the Job Centre as it was within the cordoned off area,’ she said.
‘I also saw three people filming what was going on and others were taking photographs too.
‘Taking a video is definitely crossing the line. And it’s even worse that they then posted the videos on the internet – I just don’t understand it.’
'He is a vulnerable man who has had to deal with some significant challenges in his life and when he clearly needed compassion and understanding was met with cruel taunts and encouragement to end his life'
Injured man's parents
The woman also described the moment the man, who is from Portsmouth, jumped off the roof.
‘Everyone in the street gasped when he jumped. The sound was horrendous; it was a combination of a loud thump, a crumple and a bang.
‘As we are on the second floor of the building, I actually saw him fly past our window while I was looking out.’
Hampshire Constabulary said it had contacted internet sites which had posted the images and asked for the footage to be removed.
A spokesman added: ‘This was a disgusting display by members of the public. It was undignified and callous.
‘It showed a complete lack of empathy for the person involved and for officers trying to deal with a very sensitive situation under immense pressure.’
The man was at Southampton General Hospital with his family at his side last night.


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I know the source is the Daily Fail but this absolutely sickened me, I cannot comprehend one person doing that let alone a crowd of people. I only hope he pulls through and gets the help he needs.

[iejatguih]

Gotta love Portsmouth...

[Wonderland.]

That is absolutely disgusting how can people be so sick.

[griddlebone]

There really are some grim people in the world and it seems to be getting worse!

[whirlpools]

That's so sad. It reminds me, I think there was an article posted in N&D a few years ago where a woman was hanging off a bridge over a motorway and someone held up in traffic requested a song on the radio called something like "Jump" - and the radio duly played it, commenting on the people held up in the incident.

Also makes me worried that this is the attitude of so many of the public at the moment. The article mentioned someone angry that they couldn't get to the Jobcentre - obviously there was a lack of perspective there, but shows how stressed and unhappy people are at the minute.

I was in the library the other day and a man completely flipped out that a computer wouldn't work - and I mean, he was shouting and swearing at the library assistant, it was pretty scary. I felt sorry for everyone.

[Sketchy]

I am so disgusted by the behaviour of these people. I can't even put it into words, well, not words I would care to type! I don't understand how people can show that lack of compassion for another human being.
I hope that man recovers and gets the help and support he needs.

[Rhuben]

People who encourage vulnerable people to jump should be prosecuted and sent to prison, no exceptions. Encouraging a suicide attempt and then taking pictures is not the behaviour of a civilised individual.

[Pappi]

this knocks me sick. !

[pandachan]

I am so thoroughly disgusted with people. I'm about to cry.

[Stellata]

People seem to be getting more and more inconsiderate of others and uncaring.

Quote:

Originally Posted by reappear

I was in the library the other day and a man completely flipped out that a computer wouldn't work - and I mean, he was shouting and swearing at the library assistant, it was pretty scary. I felt sorry for everyone.

Happens all the time where I work, too.

[sajhfuahuefghaeg]

This explains what happened the other day when places were cordoned off...

I thought it was just going to be a standard burglary. Sadtimes.

[Aztec]

This happened a few years ago to a friend of a friend, at Westfield Derby.
Sadly, the guy didn't make it, but it's sickening that people would chant jump to him.
People make me sick ):

[[Luna]]

This is really awful!

My friends dad was a Fireman and was being made to stay late after his shift because there was a guy standing on the roof of the building, so my friends dad shouted at the guy to jump and he did. The guy died from his injuries so my friends dad lost his job and now has to live with the fact he provoked a man into committing suicide.
I am absolutely shocked by the behaviour of people!

[Delephynite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by LavaLamp.

This is really awful!

My friends dad was a Fireman and was being made to stay late after his shift because there was a guy standing on the roof of the building, so my friends dad shouted at the guy to jump and he did. The guy died from his injuries so my friends dad lost his job and now has to live with the fact he provoked a man into committing suicide.
I am absolutely shocked by the behaviour of people!

**** dat.

**** dat all.

:/

[Dreaming.]

This is horrifying but not new behaviour; there's quite a bit of research into crowd mentality that suggests this is not an abnormal way to respond in a group.

[Eccentrics]

I just can't understand why anyone would do that.
What kind of sick person finds enjoyment from urging a stranger to kill themselves?

[Dreaming.]

Interesting research article here > http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/psp/41/4/703/

Huge element of deindivisualisation involved. Same with Zimbardo / Milgram experiments. Terrifying but makes you realise what it is possible for a 'normal' person to do without realising.

[Buttons.]

^ My thoughts exactly. But even with the research and such I struggle to comprehend the concept on an emotional level.

[Delephynite]

Did anyone see Derren Brown's Experiments? The Gameshow looked at deindivisualisation.

[Buttons.]

^ Yes, I really enjoyed it although it was quite scary!