US student scales skyscraper in suicide horror

A college student who scaled halfway up one of Houston’s best-known skyscrapers using only a small pick jumped about 30 floors to his death.

Ryan Hartley, 20, was climbing the 64-storey Williams Tower when he jumped at about 7.45am local time yesterday, Houston Fire Department spokesman Jay Evans said.

Police recovered a driving licence and a note containing a message of a political nature.

Authorities refused to reveal details of the note, other than to say it did not mention plans to jump.

The Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office said his death was suicide.

Hartley had resin to apply to his hands and used the pick on the window moulding as he moved higher, authorities said. But he apparently did not have a harness, belt or suction cup, “the normal professional equipment you’d normally see on someone trying to climb a building”, Evans said.

Police received the first call about Hartley at 6.53am. Evans said Hartley had somehow reached the outside of the building from the 10th floor and then climbed up the south-west corner from there.

Rescue crews and a crowd of onlookers had gathered below, television helicopters hovered above and motorists from the West Loop freeway, the busiest in Texas, all had a view of black-clad Hartley as he climbed and fell.

Chris Seay, pastor of Hartley’s church, Ecclesia of Houston, released a statement from the family, saying: “Ryan was an accomplished rock climber and instructor as well as a gifted vocalist and student.

“He was seeing a psychologist for an undiagnosed mental disorder. The family is grieving and thankful for your thoughts and prayers.”

Police tried to talk to Hartley from an open window but he continued to climb. Witness Pat McGarey, a tower worker, said Hartley was yelling or singing and periodically waved his hands before taking an extended pause.

“It clearly looked like he jumped as opposed to falling,” McGarey said.

The art deco-inspired skyscraper, formerly known as the Transco Tower, was built in 1983 and is known for the floodlight beacon at its top. It was designed by architect Philip Johnson.