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3 arrested for attempting to jump off Mpls. building [4.29]
Three people have been charged after police say one of them base-jumped 32 stories off the Foshay Tower in downtown Minneapolis.
Investigators said 36-year-old David Juntunen, of Minneapolis, and three other people took the elevator up to the 30th floor around 1 p.m. Wednesday and bought tickets to the observation deck. The suspects then walked up one floor higher and used a wrench to unbolt a ceiling gate.
Juntunen then jumped from the building, which stands over 400-feet tall, and video taped the entire incident. The group then left the area.
Nine hours later, they returned to the bar at the W Hotel on the first-floor of the building, with a laptop computer and bragged about the jump.
"They came back and were showing the video to some of our patrons at the bar," said W Hotel General Manager Susan Mabry.
Hotel security called police. Juntunen, his girlfriend 42-year-old Tracy Belanger, of Excelsior, and 36-year-old Nicolas Halseth, of Minneapolis, fought with officers during their arrest.
Juntunen, Halseth and Belanger were all booked into the Hennepin County Jail on Wednesday. Belanger has since been released from custody. She and Halseth may also face disorderly conduct charges.
Managers at the W Hotel believe this is the first jump in the Foshay's 80-year history.
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