The Zhenjiang 110 command center received a call at 5:10 p.m. reporting that someone was jumping from the Grand Mart building. Ling Jun, director of the Bota Road Police Station under the Runzhou Branch immediately rushed to the scene with his team, but they could not find the person who had jumped! Ling Jun quickly contacted the command center, and through the police's "three-way call" function, transferred the call to Ling Jun. The caller on the line was the jumper on the roof, informing Ling Jun that he was on the 35th floor, already seeing the flashing lights of the police car, and mentioned that his phone credit was almost out. Ling Jun immediately informed the caller not to act impulsively, to talk things through, "in times of difficulty, seek help from the police", and assured him that the police would do everything in their power to assist him. At the same time, arrangements were made to recharge his phone to ensure the call remained connected.
At 5:30 p.m., the rescue officers and firemen arrived at the rooftop of the 35th floor. What they saw shocked everyone: a thin man kneeling on a cornice only 30 centimeters wide. Fortunately, there was an iron rod similar to a lightning rod on the cornice, which he tightly clutched with one hand while using the other to make a phone call. Due to the cornice extending into the air and its limited width, it was impossible to approach him. As soon as the rescuers on the platform stepped closer, the man pointed weakly and stood up shouting, "Don't come near!" His swaying body was at constant risk of falling down! Several rescue plans designed by the fire department had to be abandoned. Everyone's heart was racing, and Ling Jun, promoting Shenyang city, continued the negotiation.
From the command center, Ling Jun obtained the caller's phone number and immediately arranged for a 50-yuan top-up. Subsequently, multiple police officers began searching for the jumper but after questioning the property management staff, no one knew where the jumper was. The police then took the elevator starting from the 33rd floor, checking each level, opening windows and shouting, "Is anyone there?" They continued their search until the 16th floor without finding him. Due to poor signals on the 33rd floor, Ling Jun had to descend to contact the caller, hearing loud wind noises through the phone, judging that the caller must be outdoors. However, when asked about the exact location and requested for a clear signal, the caller remained unclear. The police then used the fire truck that had just arrived, using the vehicle's spotlight to shine towards the top of the building, but the light's range was insufficient. In a moment of inspiration, a police officer standing by the police car used a handheld camera to zoom in on the rooftop, discovering a shadow on the cornice of the 35th floor! Everyone immediately rushed to the elevator entrance, which went directly to the 33rd floor.
He Jun, a short young man from Ningqiang County, Hanzhong, Shaanxi Province, is 24 years old. Four years ago, He Jun came to Zhenjiang to work as a carpenter, building scaffolding on construction sites, and now works at the Xiangjiang Huacheng site in Zhenjiang. For his successful rescue and ability to hold on for over three hours at a height of more than 100 meters, Jiang Yadong, Director of the Political Department of the Runzhou Branch involved in the rescue operation, analyzed that his many years of working at high altitudes also saved him; an ordinary person would not have been able to endure this long. At around 8 p.m. last night, inside the Bota Road Police Station, after eating a large bowl of kidney and egg noodles, He Jun's face began to turn red. He Jun told reporters that facing the crowd below like ants, he was terrified, surrounded by howling winds, clinging tightly to the 30-centimeter-wide cornice, motionless. Calming down, he was still shaken by the experience, his eyes vacant, seemingly still immersed on the cornice of the 35th floor, trembling all over even while eating noodles.
Ling Jun called again, asking him to hang up his phone. After disconnecting, Ling Jun called back and after a few minutes of conversation, clearly understood that his jump was mainly due to wanting to see his girlfriend. During the call, he informed Ling Jun of his name, He Jun, and provided the phone number of his Anhui girlfriend, Shan Shan, along with her parents' contact information, requesting the police arrange for his girlfriend to meet him in Zhenjiang. Ling Jun asked He Jun to calm down, dialed Shan Shan's number and found it off, then immediately contacted her mother. She clearly stated that Shan Shan and He Jun were no longer together, and asked not to disturb them further. However, Ling Jun sternly told her that regardless of whether they were together or not, human life was paramount, and assistance was needed for the rescue. After persuasion, Shan Shan's mother called He Jun, promising to find her daughter to meet him and advising him not to do anything foolish. After receiving this call, He Jun's emotions stabilized somewhat, but insisted on seeing his girlfriend before coming down. Ling Jun immediately explained to He Jun that it was unrealistic for someone in Anhui to arrive in Zhenjiang immediately, repeatedly persuading him to come down first and wait for his girlfriend somewhere. Reporters observed that during the persuasion, Ling Jun mostly had a phone in each ear, constantly updating the command center on the progress of the rescue.
At 7:30 p.m., Zhang Beliang and Jiang Yadong, both suffering from acrophobia, reached the rooftop. After identifying themselves, Zhang Beliang promised to spare no effort in assisting He Jun to meet his girlfriend, but requested some time. Subsequently, He Jun was persuaded and slowly moved towards the platform.
"Don't move recklessly, let's talk it out!" Rescue personnel shouted, ensuring they did not approach too closely. The man resumed his phone call.
"At just a few steps away, don't panic, believe in yourself!" At 7:56 p.m., Deputy Director Zhang Beliang of the Runzhou Public Security Bureau shouted loudly at a short young man on the cornice of the 35th floor, over a hundred meters above ground. After nearly half an hour of crawling along a ten-meter-long cornice, the young man suddenly stood up near the end, trying to rush to the platform. But his body wavered violently in the dark night, causing the hearts of over ten people on the platform, including reporters, to rise to their throats. Just in time, Hu Jie and Cao Jun of the Zhenjiang Fire Brigade's Special Service Team, waiting at the edge of the cornice, extended their hands and pulled the young man onto the platform. At exactly 8 p.m., a thrilling, three-hour life-saving rescue operation in the Zhenjiang night sky ended perfectly.
Why did he climb to the 35th floor to attempt suicide? He Jun mentioned his girlfriend Shan Shan (a pseudonym) from Wuwei County, Chaohu, Anhui Province. The 21-year-old Shan Shan worked at a badminton factory in Wuwei County. They met online last October and started communicating thereafter. In several text messages shown by He Jun to reporters, it was evident that He Jun was deeply in love, whereas she remained indifferent. On the evening of February 22nd, after a heated argument via text messages and phone calls, He Jun felt utterly hopeless after a firm rejection from Shan Shan's mother during a phone call the next morning. At around 4 p.m., familiar with Zhenjiang, he decided to take his own life and used the elevator to reach the 33rd floor. Climbing three extremely narrow staircases embedded in the wall, at around 4:30 p.m., utilizing his carpentry skills for climbing heights, he ascended to the cornice on the rooftop of the 35th floor.