Intern may have jumped to death after quarrel with boss

• Source: Global Times
• [09:40 July 15 2010]
• Comments

Police cordon off the scene on Shimener Road Wednesday, after covering the young man's body (left) with cardboard. Photo: Cai Xianmin

By Li Xiang

A young man is believed to have intentionally jumped to his death from the 13th floor of the Xiandai Architectural Design Building on Shimener Road in Jing'an district Wednesday afternoon.

But as of last night, police, who sealed off the area around 3 pm, had not confirmed the case as a suicide. The case remains under investigation.

According to a man surnamed Gu, a security guard who was on duty at the building when the incident occurred, the young man's body made a loud thump when it hit the ground Wednesday afternoon.

"After the 'bang' I rushed over and saw his body lying there in a pool of blood," he told the Global Times Wednesday. "I think he jumped from the 13th floor; it's empty right now because it's being redecorated." Nearby residents say that the young man was a fresh graduate in his early 20s, and had come from northeastern Heilongjiang Province. He was said to be interning at a company in the building.

"I heard that he jumped right after his boss blamed him for a bunch of company problems that resulted from his mistakes," the resident, who preferred not to be named, told the Global Times Wednesday.

If confirmed as a suicide, Wednesday's case marks the fifth student-related suicide this year. Last year, 13 such deaths were reported, compared to 23 from the previous year.