Crowd Chanted ‘Jump, Jump, Jump’: Suicidal Man Dies After Crowd Goaded Him To Jump Off Building

A man has died after jumping off the fifth floor of a building last Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa. The man, who appeared to have been showing erratic and suicidal behaviors during the incident, was goaded by a local crowd who allegedly chanted the words “jump, jump, jump” as the man stood ready at the building’s ledge.

According to a report by the South African paper Eyewitness News, the man was seen standing on the edge of the building around 5 p.m. Thursday. Appearing distressed, the man was observed clutching a bible when a crowd began to gather below him.

However, instead of appealing to the man and asking him to get back inside the building, the crowd allegedly encouraged his erratic behavior and began to chant the word “jump” over and over. The crowd’s malicious and incessant nudging reportedly drove the man to jump off the fifth-floor ledge of the building, landing on the first floor. He was declared dead on the scene by local police officers.

According to Times Live, one person from inside the building tried to get the man back inside but failed to do so.

South Africa’s mental health circles were dismayed to learn of the events. Cassey Chambers, spokesperson for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), said, “It’s incredibly sad that there are people egging people on to go die. I think we definitely need to question that as society. It takes it to a whole new level when you have people chanting jump, jump, jump. This person could be incredibly helpless and hopeless, who has a mental illness like depression.”

Netizens have also expressed their dismay over the events in Johannesburg.

One wrote, “What is wrong with this country??? I cannot imagine the pain that man must have been in to do what he did, crowd shouts for him to jump??? Those people are disgusting animals.”

“The low life’s that egged him on will have it on their conscience for the rest of their lives. If they have one. My the demands of hell hound them for eternity!! R.I.P Dude”, wrote another.

Statistics in South Africa describe a disturbingly high rate of mental illness occurrence in the country, according to local researches. A 2009 report by Africa’s Mail and Guardian reveals that at least 17 percent of all South African adults suffer from common mental disorders such as depression and anxiety.

[Image taken by Deo Khoza/Eyewitness News]