2 people charged after trespassing atop Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower, police say
Two people have been charged after police say they illegally trespassed at Pittsburgh's Gulf Tower on Thursday.
A photo provided to KDKA-TV by a viewer showed a person standing on top of the Gulf Tower, nearly 600 feet above ground.
A spokesperson for Pittsburgh Public Safety said two people, a man and a woman, who were believed to be involved, were detained at the Gulf Tower on Friday. They were cooperative and provided full statements to police, the spokesperson said.
A photo taken from an office window in the U.S. Steel Tower around 3 p.m. on Thursday appears to show a person at the highest point of the Gulf Tower on Grant Street. A witness said they were up there for about 15 minutes on Thursday.
The Pittsburgh Public Safety spokesperson confirmed Friday evening that the couple didn't work in the building, adding that officials had consulted with the district attorney's office while obtaining "digital evidence."
Pittsburgh police said Saturday that arrest warrants were obtained for the individuals, identified as Austin Seik, 27, of Hookstown, Pennsylvania, and Mariah Lynn Barnes, 33, of Munhall. Both were charged with criminal trespass.
According to defense attorney David J. Shrager, who is not working on the case, there were potential crimes committed.
"That the most obvious one is some type of trespass charge," Shrager said. "There's certainly a felony trespassing charge that the DA could argue is applicable here."
He added that a prosecutor could stretch it to involve disorderly conduct.
"Not very likely he would do any jail time, but there's certainly the possibility of a felony conviction, which is something you have for life," Shrager said.
According to Rugby Realty, the Gulf Tower is 582 feet tall. The Art Deco building, which is one of the most recognizable buildings in Pittsburgh's skyline, was built as the headquarters for the Gulf Oil Company in 1932. It has 44 floors and houses offices.
It's not the first time thrill seekers have been investigated for getting on top of skyscrapers in Pittsburgh. In April of last year, two BASE jumpers were caught on camera parachuting off PPG Place. Police said they entered the building and made their way to the rooftop, where they jumped off, using parachutes.