Three guys, one a construction worker on 1 World Trade Center, broke into the under-construction building last September, climbed to the roof and jumped off (after some profane confidence building). Here’s the long version of one jumper, with an extended getaway after landing in the middle of West Street.

http://youtu.be/nz7sxt9xeJE

Taking a much less-trafficked path of the third jumper…

http://youtu.be/KiPB0tCglWk

Can’t find the video of No. 2.

So, these guys were caught landing on a surveillance camera and somehow the NYPD was able to figure out who they were. A search of their apartments in January led to the video, which is fairly incriminating. Jumping off roofs is illegal, though only a misdemeanor. They were also charged with burglary, a felony, for breaking into the Tower. Undetected, it should be noted.

NYPD said that by their actions they desecrated a sacred place. That seems a bit much, and a hard line to sustain once the building is full of people doing all the things people do when they aren’t jumping off buildings. Still, it does seem pretty reckless to jump off if it means landing on a heavily trafficked road even in the middle of the night, even if the pictures are pretty and compelling.