Man Causes Panic In Koreatown After Climbing Atop Construction Crane
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – A man who police say may have been considering harming himself climbed atop a crane at a construction site in Koreatown Monday, causing a panic for hours as a large crowd watched from the ground.
Firefighters were called about 4:40 p.m. to the 3000 block of West Eighth Street, near Vermont Avenue, and crews evacuated the area beneath the crane, according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department.
The man was unsecured about 75-80 feet above the ground, Prange said.
Firefighters assisted police in contacting the man, who was coaxed into climbing down about 7:15 p.m., police said.
"He will be held on a 72-hour hold. At this point, we understand that he's probably going through some duress, possibly economic wise and family issues. So they'll be able to talk those issues out, and hopefully this won't be something that will be a reoccurrence, " said Los Angeles police Sgt. Frank Preciado.
Police said preceding the incident, the man told someone he was intending to jump. It is unclear who the man spoke to before climbing the crane.
(© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. City News Service contributed to this report.)
