14 DAY TRIAL // Three daredevils jumped off One World Trade Center on September 30 last year, and a helmet camera worn by one of them captured the intrepid stunt, which initially sparked fears of terrorism at the nation’s tallest building.
The men were not caught at the time, but the investigation continued and police managed to track them down. They were told they had to turn themselves in, which they did on Monday.
The New York Daily News identifies the skydivers as James Brady, 32, Andrew Rossig, 33, Marco Markovich, 27, and their accomplice on the ground, Kyle Hartwell, 29. They were all charged with burglary, reckless endangerment and jumping from a structure, authorities revealed.
The men were arraigned and released on bail on Monday night.
James Brady and Andrew Rossig are experienced BASE jumpers. Brady is also a former ironworker at One World Trade Center. Moreover, Markovich's attorney, Joseph Corozzo, says his client is a responsible person and highly trained parachuting instructor.
However, their act is considered a misdemeanor crime, and they have to face the consequences.
“These arrests should send a message to anyone thinking about misusing a landmark this way. They will be tracked down and they will face serious charges. Being a thrill-seeker does not give immunity from the law,” Police Commissioner Bill Bratton said, as cited by the same publication.
The jumpers claim they got inside the trade center site simply by walking through a gap in a fence that was covered by nothing but a tarp.
“God forbid it wasn’t somebody else getting in there with real intentions to harm New Yorkers,” Rossing said.
The video of the jump was posted on YouTube this week and shows the United States tallest tower like it has never been seen before. The footage provides a breathtaking perspective of the 1,776-foot (541-meter) tall building and the city lights.
One of the men's attorney said that if the video becomes popular and pulls in some money, the skydivers plan to donate the proceeds to a charity for families of 9/11.
This is the second criminal case in two weeks linked to the nation's tallest skyscraper. A New Jersey teenage boy was arrested on March 16, after eluding security and climbing to the top of the World Trade Center.
These incidents raised questions about security at one of the world's biggest terrorist targets, which is reportedly guarded by the Port Authority Police Department, the NYPD and a private security company.
Check out the video of their jump above. *The footage contains some explicit language, so viewer discretion is advised.