Man dies after jumping off building

Photo shows the Bencam Building in Garapan where a man jumped off the third floor late yesterday morning. The man’s car is still parked in front of the building hours after the incident. (Kimberly B. Esmores)

A man died late yesterday morning after he jumped off the third floor of the Bencam Building in Garapan.

According to Department of Public Safety spokesperson Adrian Pangelinan, police continue to investigate the case.

Saipan Tribune learned that the man was identified as Roland Kapileo, 43. He jumped off of the third floor of the building at around 11:30am yesterday and was pronounced dead at the Commonwealth Health Center at about 11:44am by Dr. James Gilbert.

Pangelinan said that, as of 5pm press time, police have already spoken with witnesses at the scene and with Kapileo’s significant other and further details of the incident will be released when they become available.

Saipan Tribune visited the scene and spoke with individuals who lived nearby and neighboring establishments. According to two men who worked in the area, they said they noticed Kapileo pacing back and forth on the third floor of the building at around 11am that day.

They said he was alone and was just walking up and down the floor for a while. Then, after a few minutes, they saw him climb over the railing and jump off, falling faced down onto the pavement below.

The two men noted that Kapileo doesn’t live in the building or even in the area, but he does frequent the vicinity because he was friends with a lot of people who live there.

Another woman who worked in the building said she wasn’t aware of what had happened but there were police and Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services officers out front at around 11am.

She said she couldn’t really tell what was going on, but she just assumed that someone was getting arrested again so she didn’t think much of it.

At the scene, aside from a small amount of blood, you wouldn’t be able to tell that a tragic incident had occurred.

The DPS spokesperson explained that, although the case remains under investigation, the area is not blocked off because police believe it is not necessary.

“Police markings of the scene are used when police need to return to the scene at a later time. Due to the nature of this specific scene, police do not believe that blocking off the area is necessary,” he said.

In addition, Kapileo’s car remained parked out front of the building and all his friends who came out to pay their respects confirmed that Kapileo was expected to be in the area yesterday and they were all so shocked to hear of his passing.