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Firefighters attempt to revive the woman.
(Updated) A woman who took a fatal plunge from an upper story of the 360 State parking garage Thursday appears to have jumped voluntarily, according to police.
The incident took place at 3:24 p.m. at the 32-story complex at the corner of Orange and Chapel. The woman fell from an upper story of the parking garage onto the sidewalk outside Elm City Market. Despite a last-minute rescue effort, she died of her injuries. Police believe the fall was not an accident, according to Sgt. Al Vazquez, head of the police department’s major crimes unit.
“We think she jumped,” he said. “We have evidence to believe it was a suicide.”
Vazquez declined to describe what that evidence was, or whether police found a note. He said police have determined the woman did not live at 360 State; they don’t know why she went to the building. Police have not officially deemed her death a suicide, Vazquez said.
The victim was identified as a 24-year-old woman whose last known address was in West Haven.
The incident sent shock waves through downtown New Haven. Dave Andaz, who’s 44, said he was smoking a cigarette in Pitkin Plaza Thursday afternoon when he heard a “shrieking scream” and then the sound of an impact. He said it sounded like a wooden palette hitting the ground.
He walked over and found a woman on her back on the ground. She was wearing a black dress, had long black hair and was holding a big, brown purse. She was bleeding. Her eyes were wide open, but she was unresponsive, he said. She appeared to be breathing a little, according to Andaz.
A passerby urged her: “Come on, honey, breathe! Your family needs you,” according to Andaz. Several people took out their phones and called 911.
Firefighters and police arrived quickly. At 3:40, about eight firefighters surrounded the woman, who was lying on the ground between Pitkin Plaza and the side entrance to Elm City Market. The market sits on the ground floor of the apartment tower.
Emergency responders hooked an oxygen tank to the woman’s mouth and used a machine to perform chest compressions.
They took her away in a gurney moments later, leaving two red shoes behind.
Police taped off a perimeter around the scene, as well as the door that leads from the fourth-floor garage to a stairwell to Pitkin Plaza. Police were reviewing video surveillance Thursday to gather more information, according to Lt. Jeff Hoffman.
OMG, sorry to hear of this and sorry that people had to witness it.
Condolences to whoever will be mourning her.