A San Diego man is dead after he leapt from a high-rise apartment complex in a BASE jumping stunt-gone-wrong that was witnessed by his teenage daughter.
The unidentified 48-year-old man, who police say was an experienced BASE jumper, leapt off the Palisade UTC building on Tuesday, wearing a helmet and a parachute, according to the San Diego Police Department.
The man's body was found on the ground next to the 23-floor building at about 10:30 p.m.
It's not clear how far the man fell or whether he jumped from the high-rise's roof, KNSD reported.
Investigators are still determining exactly what happened, but it appears to be a fatal accident, according to San Diego Police Captain Scott Wahl.
"He had planned to deploy a parachute and survive the jump," Wahl told KSWB. "He’s got a history of doing different types of jumps. Really, it's a tragic event. It's one that’s absolutely avoidable."
On hand to witness the tragic event was the victim's 16-year-old daughter.
"As a father of four kids, I cannot imagine what she's going through at this point," Wahl said. "No question that she's never going to forget those final few moments."
The incident remains under investigation.
BASE jumping is a recreational sport of parachuting from fixed objects instead of airplanes. The acronym stands for Buildings, Antennas, Spans and Earth -- representing the four platforms from which a participant can jump.
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