toronto parachuter

Police hunt for parachuter seen landing in downtown Toronto

Did you fly into downtown Toronto using a parachute on Saturday? The police would like to speak with you, if only to make sure you're not dead.

Video footage went viral over the weekend of someone parachuting into a park-like area near Bloor and Sherbourne streets.

The video, captured by Toronto resident Erica Lewin from her balcony, showed someone descending from the sky via black-and-white parachute around 7 p.m. on May 4, though it is unclear as to where the person came from: A plane? A crane? Another building?

I mean, it wouldn't be the first time.

Toronto Police said on Twitter shortly after the incident that the person appeared to be in distress and that his or her parachute was not fully open.

Police and fire crews searched the area of Rosedale Valley Road and Sherbourne street but came up empty.

"No 'distressed parachuters' were found," wrote police around 8:40 p.m. on Saturday. "Info from citizens suggests parachuter was not injured."

Locals following the story were concerned for the person's safety, but also curious as to how the parachuter ended up in downtown Toronto.

"Couldn't tell for sure but looks like they may have base jumped off the roof of The Selby tower from the direction they came from," wrote one person on Twitter who claimed to have seen the stunt in person.

"I actually believe I saw two parachuters, the other went in the opposite direction and would have had a more dangerous landing (there's no clear area to land)," wrote Lewin. "I didn't catch them on video."

Others joked about why such an unconventional method of transportation could, at times, be appealing.

Daring, stupid, hilarious, badass — however you take the person's actions, it's important to know that what they did is illegal.

"If you find someone doing this, they can possibly face the charge of public mischief, which is a criminal offence," said  Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook to CP24 following the incident.

"Something like this kind of activity within the city limits is something we strongly discourage for obviously reasons," she continued. "I mean, this person could put themselves in harm's way. They can put someone else in harm's way."

Lead photo by

Erica Lewin


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