THE BRONX — A teenager fell off a six-story apartment building and is now fighting for his life after trying to flee police when they allegedly spotted him and a group of his friends smoking pot, police said.
The fall happened around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday at 2685 Valentine Ave. in West Farms. Sources identified the teen as 17-year-old Hakeem Kuta of The Bronx.
Just before the fall, a man had told a group of officers patrolling the area on foot that there was a large group of teenagers smoking marijuana in the lobby of the nearby apartment building.
As the officers approached the building, one of the teens outstretched his arms across the entrance to keep the officers at bay while two boys escaped up the stairs, police said.
When they managed to push past the teen, two of the officers pursued the boys up to the roof, police said.
Kuta scrambled over the roof's ledge and began to loose his footing. His 14-year-old friend grabbed onto him and one of the officers held his friend in an attempt to stop Kuta from falling.
When Kuta tumbled to the pavement below, the two officers rushed back downstairs and the four officers on scene attempted to revive the teen with CPR and cradled his head, police said.
Emergency workers responded just after 7:40 p.m. and transported the boy to Saint Barnabas Hospital where he remains in critical condition.
The 14-year-old later turned himself into police, the NYPD said.
The Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating the incident and no arrests have been made.
— Additional reporting by Murray Weiss
