A man died after jumping from the Fire Island Lighthouse Friday afternoon, as visitors in the popular vacation destination prepared to celebrate the final days of summer.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, was seen by a witness jumping from the landmark’s observation deck around 1:45 p.m., a Suffolk County police spokesperson told the Daily News on Saturday.
Marine Bureau officers responded to the area at the southern end of the Robert Moses Causeway, just east of Robert Moses State Park, after the witness called 911.
Detectives with the Suffolk County Police Homicide Squad, in conjunction with the National Park Service, are investigating the incident.
Suffolk Police Homicide Det. Lt. Kevin Beyrer said at a press conference that authorities have obtained video footage showing the man walking up to the tower, paying for a ticket to climb its 182 steps and then jumping off the observation deck.
The Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society, the nonprofit that operates the landmark, said the building would remain closed on Saturday “out of respect for everyone impacted,” but would reopen on Sunday.
The incident “undermined the positive and uplifting experience that all of us bring to the Fire Island Lighthouse,” the organization said in a statement shared Saturday morning. “Our hearts go out to the still unknown individual and family. Thank you to our BRAVE volunteers, staff, and visitors on site and the quick response of law enforcement individuals.”
Standing at 168 feet, the Fire Island Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on Long Island, beating the Montauk Point Lighthouse by more than 50 feet. Its observation deck offers 360-degree views of the surrounding beaches. On a clear day, visitors can see the New York City skyline in the distance.
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