At about 9:30 p.m. on Friday, two men in helmets and backpacks climbed over the glass barrier around the observation deck of Seattle’s Space Needle, stood on the ledge, and jumped. Parachutes opened. A TikTok video of the leap spread fast.
One of the pair reportedly came down on the roof of the Hyatt hotel at 201 5th Avenue, according to KIRO 7. A second video shows the other man landing near Seattle Center, where the Bite of Seattle food festival was under way.
The reaction
Viewers split between awe and irritation. “lol I work at the needle and we’re all talking about it,” wrote one commenter on the clip, posted by TikTok user .sherpachai. Others feared the fallout for ordinary visitors. “Great… way to ruin the space needle because now they’ll impose bag searches and it will be more expensive,” one person wrote.
A Space Needle spokesperson confirmed the landmark knew of “an illegal incident” and was working with the Seattle Police Department, reviewing security footage and assisting an active investigation.
It was not Seattle’s first such jump. Two BASE jumpers leaped from the newly built 37-story Graystone building in 2024 and landed safely before police could find them.
Officials have not said whether the Space Needle jumpers have been identified or whether they will face any consequences.
