"Help me take a Snapchat video and I’ll jump.”
Those were the last words of 17-year-old Jonathan Chow
before he vaulted over a barrier at Orchard Central and fell four
floors to his death last Friday (Feb 24), according to the
teenager's friend, Ruth, who witnessed the incident first hand.
Leaked security camera footage that surfaced online
over the weekend showed the two teenagers standing together in a
linkway between Orchard Central and Orchard Gateway before Jonathan
jumped.
“We were window shopping for clothes (at the mall) and
when we went to the bridge, he came up with the idea of doing the
stunt," said Ruth, 17, who declined to give her full name.
Speaking to TODAY at the teenager's wake at Punggol
Central, Ruth said Jonathan had wanted to take a video of her doing
the same stunt. Jonathan leapt before she could say no, Ruth
added.
“We both thought the parapet was made of concrete, but
when he jumped, he fell straight through,” said Ruth, who is
currently assisting the police with investigations. “I knew it was
dangerous, but before I could stop him, he already jumped over. I
swear I wanted to jump over too but I knew it was too late.”
Earlier reports had suggested that Jonathan jumped over
the barrier in order to retrieve his phone.
The two teenagers got to know each other through social
media, and became good friends after meeting up for the first time
after Chinese New Year this year. “I was just like a female version
of him,” said Ruth.
Jonathan, affectionately known to his friends as
“Chow”, was a talented skateboarder who occasionally filmed his
stunts, said his secondary school mate Muhammad Bazeel Ridzwan,
18.
Mr Matthew Chow, Jonathan’s father, said he was shocked
when told about his son’s death on Friday. “No one would believe
things like this would happen in a shopping centre," he added.
At least four passers-by rushed to help and attempted
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on Jonathan after he fell. He
was unconscious when he was sent to the Tan Tock Seng
Hospital and later died there.
According to Mr Chow, Jonathan, who had been studying
in Australia, returned to Singapore in December to await his call
up for National Service. “He had already completed his medical
check-up (but) his life was cut short,” said the teen's father, a
Singapore permanent resident.
He said he bore no grudges against Ruth, who had
explained to him the events leading up to Jonathan's death.
Mr Chow, however, said the incident raised some safety
concerns at shopping centres here. He added: "We don’t want other
families to experience what we went through. I think this is the
time to raise awareness and (make) some improvements in the safety
aspects of public spaces, such as shopping centres.”
Ms Mavis Seow, chief operating officer of the
retail business group at Far East Organisation that owns Orchard
Central, said in a statement on Saturday (Feb 25): "The glass
railing along the link bridge is 1.2m high and acts as a safety
barrier for members of the public. It also prohibits access to the
plasterboard box-up, which is an interior architectural
treatment.
"Together with our building consultants, we are
currently reviewing if any other measures, in addition to the glass
barrier, are required. In the interim, our security officers will
be patrolling the various link bridges at more frequent
intervals."
Jonathan would be cremated on Thursday. His friends and
family say they will miss his cheery personality and sense of
humour.
“Chow just knows how to make people love him,” said his
friend, Jamerson Chua, 18.
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