Deadly social media trend sees Sydney youths taking part in 'roofing' craze
Police are infuriated with the mindless Sydneysiders who are now taking part in a deadly social media trend where youths photograph themselves dangling from the edge of skyscrapers.
Hundreds of photos have surfaced on Australian social media pages showing people dangling from dangerous spots in a worldwide craze that has so far taken two lives over the past year.
The unauthorised photography is far from a safe hobby and police have warned against "roofers" taking part in the deadly craze.
"Not only are you putting your own safety at risk, you will be committing an offense of trespassing on private property and may face legal action," a NSW Police spokesperson said.
The craze began when New York photographer “Wanted Visual” became momentarily famous on Instagram after he took a shoe selfie of his feet hanging off the edge of the DoubleTree Hotel in Times Square.
The photo went viral and the lethal trend has since claimed the life of 20-year-old photographer Connor Cummings who fell to his death in New York while trying to take selfies on December 30, 2015.
Cummings and an 18-year-old friend got onto the roof of Manhattan's luxury Four Seasons Hotel and he was clinging to metal scaffolding overlooking Central Park.
Local police said the equipment was wet due to heavy rain when Cummings apparently slipped and fell nine stories as he tried to get back into an interior shaft.
Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene.
The young man with Cummings at the time, identified as Dimitri Olivares, climbed down and reportedly ran away before having a change of heart and returning to the scene to get help.
He was released after questioning and never charged.
In October 2015, Russian teen Andrey Retrovsky, 17, was hanging precariously off the edge of a building when the rope snapped and he fell to his death, local media reported.
Andrey was known to put his life at risk by climbing high buildings and structures for photos that he would later post to Instagram.
Other deaths have also been reported in India and Mexico.
