N.J. Sheriff's Officer, 29, Dies After Falling from 9th-Floor Window: 'His Commitment to Service Will Never Be Forgotten'

A New Jersey sheriff's serviceman has died aft falling from nan ninth-story model of an administrative building.

The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office (HCPO) announced connected Friday, May 30, that it's investigating nan decease of Justin Rivera, a 29-year-old serviceman for nan Hudson County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities responded to nan segment of an injured serviceman astatine astir 9:30 a.m. section clip astatine nan Hudson County Administration Building successful Jersey City, wherever they recovered nan man astatine nan exterior of nan building connected Central Avenue.

Per nan HCPO, Rivera was transported to Jersey City Medical Center and pronounced dormant astatine astir 10 a.m. Following a "preliminary investigation," nan HCPO's Homicide Unit and Internal Affairs Unit recovered that Rivera fell from a ninth-floor model and his decease appeared to beryllium accidental.

Rivera was connected work astatine nan clip of his death. The building itself was not unfastened to nan nationalist owed to an unrelated powerfulness outage, according to nan HCPO.

The circumstances surrounding his decease — including nan lawsuit and mode — stay nether investigation.

Speaking pinch CBS News New York, witnesses connected nan thoroughfare recalled proceeding solid shatter earlier nan officer's assemblage deed nan ground. Steve Roosen, 1 witness, described seeing a man "coming consecutive down."

"I saw nan officers execute CPR, possibly 3 times, and past conscionable stop," Roosen said, adding that he saw "two heads looking down" from nan model framework successful nan moments pursuing nan fall.

Adriano Silva, who was sitting extracurricular connected a java break erstwhile constabulary began to arrive, told CBS News New York that he had "never seen thing for illustration this successful my life."

"My first thought was possibly location was scaffolding and personification fell off, because I thought I heard [a groan], for illustration that benignant of thing. I looked up, and location was surgery model from nan building," added witnesser Eleni Vittas, who said nan serviceman was not successful uniform. "I ran complete to spot if personification had fallen, and location was personification connected nan ground."

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David Gabriel told NBC New York that he's been visiting nan building "for years" and described its solid windows arsenic "the benignant of solid you tin conscionable punch pinch your hand."

Rivera — whom CBS News New York reported was a begetter and a boxing coach — was "more than a colleague," Sheriff Frank X. Schillari wrote successful a social media statement announcing his death.

"He was a weighted personnel of our rule enforcement family. His committedness to service, professionalism and unwavering dedication to serving our organization will ne'er beryllium forgotten," nan sheriff's connection read. "At this time, nan incident is being actively investigated by nan Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office and has been described arsenic isolated. We inquire for nan community’s patience and knowing arsenic we activity to stitchery nan facts and support 1 different during this incredibly difficult time."

Schillari added that condolences counselors and adjacent support teams are disposable for members of nan department.

Loved ones paid their respects extracurricular of Rivera's family-owned martial arts workplace successful Bayonne, N.J. connected May 30. There, a makeshift memorial appeared connected nan sidewalk, according to CBS News New York.

Devin Ortiz, who trained pinch Rivera, said he was successful "shock" arsenic he remembered nan serviceman arsenic a "phenomenal athlete" and "great mentor."

"It's sad that this happened to him. It's very sad," added friend Noa Ramos. "He's an amazing, astonishing man. He was a phenomenal coach to each of us. He loved america each here."