A man dangled off the side of Trump Tower in Chicago Sunday evening, threatening suicide. The man reportedly demanded to speak with President Donald Trump. A SWAT team is at the scene and a negotiator is on the building’s deck, trying to talk the man down, Chicago Police spokesman Tom Ahern told the Chicago Sun-Times.
The man is reportedly in his 20s and dangled himself from a 16th-floor balcony at about 5:30 p.m. CT. Police officers at the scene believe he is wearing a climbing harness. A negotiator was called to the scene and is trying to talk the man down. Police blocked traffic around the building at 401 N. Wabash Ave. Onlookers have gathered at the scene.
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#BREAKING Man dangling from rope on 16th floor of Trump Tower, threatening suicide. @Chicago_Police negotiating right now…going on more than an hour.
Crowds gathering around on Wabash. Street closed. I’m working to learn more. @cbschicago pic.twitter.com/7DyYEEmBPl
— Steven Graves (@StevenGravesTV) October 19, 2020
On Friday night, members of the United Steelworkers shined their traveling “bat light” on the building, making Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign logo appear above the Trump name, reports the Sun-Times. The signal was also projected onto Wrigley Field, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Chicago Theatre. The “bat signal” has toured the country to show support for Biden and his running mate, California Sen. Kamala Harris.
— Evelio Cuba (@ecuba101) October 18, 2020
“This election is obviously very important and there’s a lot at stake for workers,” United Steelworkers spokeswoman Jess Kamm Broomell told the Sun-Times. “A lot of issues facing working people are on the ballot this year: Affordable healthcare… retirement security, workers’ rights, health and safety on the job, all of these things are at stake.”
The signal has been shown on landmarks in Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio, and Wisconsin already. Broomell said the union wanted to show their support for Biden in a “COVID-friendly” way. “Mostly to let people know how important this election is, how important it is to make a plan to vote and start some conversations about these really important issues facing workers,” she said.
If you or someone you know are in crisis, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741-741.
