Teen falls to his death while trying social media stunt from a bridge—police
A teenager fell to his death as he tried to climb a Los Angeles bridge for a social media broadcast.
Authorities found the 17-year-old on the 6th Street Viaduct—a bridge in Los Angeles—at 2:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 27. He was rushed to the LA County USC Medical Center, but was pronounced dead shortly after. His identity wasn’t made public by the police.
Local police chief Michael Moore said the boy tried to climb the bridge "for a social media broadcast" but slipped and fell in the middle of his attempt. Local news outlet Los Angeles Daily News reported that there is limited information about what happened, including whether he was filming himself or there were others present to take a video of his stunt.
The 6th Street Viaduct was built in July 2022 and has since become a “backdrop for tragedy,” according to Moore. This is the third time someone died in the area.
"Tragically we see that location, while it has spawned a great deal of pride in Los Angeles, it has also unfortunately served as a backdrop now for tragedies such as this," he said. "Our added patrols will continue at that location to counter such reckless actions.”
News outlets like CBS News reported that it has been a hotspot for various illegal acts—dangerous car stunts like burnouts and sideshows as well as ridiculous acts like having a haircut in the middle of the road. There were also several people who repeatedly climbed its arches just a few days after its opening.