Overview
- Jacque St. Ann, 17, fell to his death around midnight Saturday while descending an interior stair at the vacant Plaza Tower, and first responders pronounced him dead at the scene.
- Police say St. Ann and several other teenagers entered the fenced-off building to explore; it remains unclear how they gained access and another teen suffered a hand injury.
- Hundreds gathered for a candlelight vigil at Belle Chasse High School on Wednesday, the Plaquemines Parish School District made counselors available to students, and an online fundraiser has raised more than $19,000 for St. Ann's family as they plan a news conference.
- City officials have increased patrols around the 45-story building but say long-term securing of the site is the legal responsibility of the estate that owns the property.
- Plaza Tower has been vacant since 2002 and has a recent record of hazards, including falling debris that injured a cyclist in 2021 and another fatal fall, a history that has kept questions about enforcement and owner liability alive.