Two men parachuted from Seattle’s Space Needle on Friday night in an unauthorized stunt that was captured on social media and sparked a search by police, who have not yet located the jumpers.
The men purchased tickets and entered the Space Needle at about 8:50 p.m., according to the Seattle Police Department. Once on the observation deck, they were spotted on camera at the top level, then entered a restroom and emerged wearing helmets. They then ran toward the glass barrier, climbed over it, and jumped off the structure around 9:30 p.m.
Video footage from TikTok showed the pair in helmets with parachutes strapped to their backs. One of the men performed a backflip as he jumped from the ledge. The stunt unfolded in front of other tourists and visitors on the observation deck and below.
Security at the Space Needle were uncertain where the men landed, and police could not locate them. However, witness accounts and social media videos provided some clues about their landing sites. One witness told authorities that around 9:55 p.m., they saw a parachutist land on the roof of the Hyatt on 5th Avenue. Video footage from another social media user showed one person landing near the Space Needle, where the Bite of Seattle food festival was taking place. It does not appear that either of the jumpers was injured.
The incident was reported to Seattle police at around 9:21 p.m. The Space Needle observation deck sits 520 feet above the ground, while the structure reaches a total height of 605 feet. BASE jumping from the landmark without authorization is illegal, and the men face trespassing charges according to Public Affairs Officer Brian Pritchard of the Seattle Police Department.
The jumpers have not been identified by authorities but were described only as white men in their late 20s. Despite the prominent visibility of the stunt through multiple video recordings and widespread social media sharing, police have not announced any arrests. The Space Needle confirmed that the incident was illegal and stated it is cooperating with authorities on the investigation.
BASE jumping, an acronym for building, antenna, span, and earth, is an extreme sport that involves jumping from fixed objects and deploying a parachute. It carries significantly higher risks than traditional skydiving. BASE jumpers use a single, specialized parachute container with no reserve parachute, making any jump inherently dangerous.
This is not the first time someone has parachuted from the Space Needle. In 1996, an authorized jump by three men and a woman was undertaken for a television segment. During that event, a 29-year-old woman from New York City was injured when a steering line became wrapped around her parachute. She lost control in the air and struck the ground hard, sustaining a broken bone in her lower back. An earlier unauthorized jump occurred in 1975 when two BASE jumpers jumped from the observation deck, landed safely, and were arrested.
The Space Needle’s observation deck features a round design surrounded by high glass windows that open to the sky above. The glass barriers are designed to keep visitors safely contained while allowing unobstructed views of Seattle and the surrounding area. The successful breach of security during Friday night’s incident has raised questions about the adequacy of safety measures at the landmark.
The incident occurred during a busy weekend in Seattle, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to visit the city for various events, including the annual Seafair Torchlight Parade and the Bite of Seattle food festival. The Space Needle said it is reviewing security footage and assisting with the active investigation conducted by the Seattle Police Department. The public nature of the stunt and the extensive video evidence available on social media may aid investigators in their search for the unidentified jumpers.