EDMONTON – The Edmonton Police Service is investigating reports of a base jumping incident that took place Sunday night in the downtown area.
At approximately 9:15 p.m. on Sunday, police received reports of three men allegedly parachuting – or base jumping – from a building in the area of Jasper Avenue and 119 Street.
Police were told three men had entered a fenced and locked construction site, and jumped from one of the top floors of the building, landing a short distance away on Victoria Promenade before leaving in a waiting vehicle. Police responded did not catch the individuals.
Murray Billet was out walking with friends Sunday evening and saw the whole thing.
“A stroll in the lovely promenade in Edmonton last night – pictures tell me it was exactly 9:40 – and we’re strolling along here and all of a sudden, one parachute drops out of the sky, then a second one, and then a third,” he recalls.
“My intent was: beautiful night, beautiful friends, beautiful sunset, and then parachutes fall out of the sky? Come on, what are the chances?”
Billet says – while the stunt was clearly dangerous – as an amateur photographer, it was exciting to capture on film.
“It was clearly planned, well orchestrated, well landed. However, this is the part that scares me, there’s balconies there, they could have got caught up on that, they could have knocked over seniors citizens who are always walking along here, or worse yet – get hit by a car, tumbled down onto this thing… it was exciting as it was stupid.”
Police officers are continuing to investigate and are warning potential copycat jumpers of the risks and consequences of this activity.
“Regardless of how well-prepared jumpers believe they are, this is a very dangerous and illegal activity not at all suited for an urban environment,” says EPS Inspector Brian Nowlan.
“The safety of the jumpers and persons on the street has to be considered as everything is over in a matter of seconds. There is the real potential for things to go wrong – with equipment or wind conditions or even traffic on the street – and there is the real possibility of injury and death as well as property damage. Thankfully, there have only been a few of these incidents here over the years. Depending on the circumstances, jumpers can face charges such as trespassing, break and enter, or mischief.”
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