A man who has been on the platform of a broadcast tower located on the campus of American University in Washington, DC, since Tuesday afternoon, took his own life Friday morning, jumping from the tower.
As previously reported by Inside Radio, the man called 911 and climbed the 321-foot tower at about 4pm Tuesday. The tower is the main broadcast antenna of the University’s news/talk WAMU (88.5) and Hubbard news WTOP (103.5). Several other broadcast and cellular signals also use the tower. Both stations have been on a backup transmitter since.
According to The Washingtonian, police were in communication with the man through a cell phone they were able to get to him. He was on a platform about midway up the tower and threatened to harm anyone who attempted to retrieve him. Police described it as a barricade situation, saying the man as having a mental health crisis…