Man falls to death from crane in Texas after 14-hour standoff

(CBS/AP) UNIVERSITY PARK, Texas - After a 14-hour stand-off, a man fell 150 feet to his death from a construction crane on the campus of Southern Methodist University early Tuesday morning.

The man, whose name has not been released, spent a sweltering afternoon on the crane, fully exposed to the sun. He warned officers that he was armed and would shoot anyone who approached him.

Two officers who climbed the crane discovered the man had sprayed a greasy substance "similar to WD-40" near the crane's cab, preventing them from reaching him, said Deputy Chief Randy Blankenbaker.

The man pulled himself out of the cab and briefly dangled from the crane - holding on with just his hands - before dropping to his death.

"The suspect is deceased," Sr. Cpl. Melinda Gutierrez said. Police did not say if a weapon had been recovered.

Police were investigating if the man was involved in the theft of a truck before the standoff began. Kent Best, an SMU spokesman, said the man was a suspect fleeing from Dallas police.