A 17-year-old young man was arrested under suspicion of throwing a 6-year-old boy from the 10th floor of the Tate Modern Gallery in London on Sunday.
The child was taken by helicopter to the hospital in critical condition, according to Metropolitan Police, who said his body was found on the fifth-floor roof of the British art museum. The police maintained that “there is nothing to suggest that [the suspect] is known to the victim,” and that his mental health is under investigation.
Police were reportedly called at around 2:40 p.m. local time, and the incident was met with two ambulance crews, an air ambulance, and a hazardous area response team.
The helicopter has left but we’re still being advised not to leave by staff. #TateModern pic.twitter.com/Vi13KZpvLL
— Ms O’Mahuncy (@dot_to_dot) August 4, 2019
BBC journalist Jonny Dymond, who was at the scene, told reporters, “There were quite a lot of families with children, and security guards told us we couldn’t leave. There was at least two fire engines, 10 police cars, and an incident control unit. Parts of the exterior of the building were taped off.”
Visitors to one of the most popular destinations in the British capital were reportedly kept inside for a time until being allowed to leave, after the child had been treated at the scene and the air ambulance had taken off.
The museum closed for the rest of the day, and a spokesperson said, “Tate is working closely with the police to help with their investigations. All our thoughts are with the child and his family.”
