The Empire State Building, one of New York City’s most famous landmarks and one of the tallest buildings in the world, has been the scene of over thirty suicides since the building opened in 1931. The first suicide occurred before the building even opened when a worker who had just been laid off jumped to his death from an elevator shaft. The first death after the building opened occurred when a man from Queens in his early thirties leapt from the Observatory on the 102nd floor. His body landed on the 86th floor roof.
Between the years 1932 to 1947 the 86th floor observatory was the main area where the suicides and suicide attempts occurred. 16 suicides occurred during this time period. In 1947 a wire mesh fence with steel spikes was erected after five people in three weeks tried to jump from the 86th floor Observatory. In one suicide the body struck a pedestrian on the street below seriously injuring her. In another 1947 incident a 23-year old woman leaped from the building and her body struck a United Nations limousine below. The incident resulted in a famous Life Magazine photograph. More security guards were also hired to help to prevent the incidents from occurring. They did prevent five attempts. The new security measures were fairly successful for the 86th floor observatory, with suicide attempts tending to occur from other floors of the building.
The Empire State Building was also the scene of a 14-person fatality when a B-25 bomber crashed into the 79th floor of the building in 1945 after the pilot lost his way in the fog.
In 1979, a depressed woman, Elvita Adams attempted suicide from the 86th floor. However a strong gust of wind blew her back onto the 85th floor. She emerged from the accident with just a broken hip.
In 1997 a gunman killed a Dutch tourist and wounded six others before shooting himself on the 86th floor observation deck. This is the only suicide death that was not the result from jumping from the building.
There have been several suicides in recent years. In 2004 there were two suicides. In February a man leapt from the 80th floor after filling out a job application and in November a young West African man leapt from the observation deck. In 2006 a twenty-one year old man, David Abramowitz purchased a ticket for the 86th floor observatory. He ended up leaping from the 66th floor of the building. In April 2006 another incident occurred when Jeb Corliss was arrested for attempting jump from the building while wearing a parachute. On April 13, 2007 Moshe Kanovsky, who was a legal worker in the building, leapt from a law office on the 69th floor. His body was found on the 30th floor landing, but in the process of the fall his leg shattered and part of it fell to the ground, disturbing diners in a restaurant below. The last recorded suicide occurred on January 7, 2009 when a woman, who was an employee in the building, leapt out a 39th story window.