April Helms
Police say alcohol may have played a factor in the falling death of a 19-year-old Kent State University student from Racine, but no charges have been filed regarding the incident Thursday, Oct. 10.
Jayden Brieske, a sophomore studying business and a 2023 graduate of Racine Horlick, was at the University Inn off-campus apartments on South Water Street in Kent, Ohio, with two friends when they decided to climb onto the roof. When Brieske was climbing down, he slipped and fell, hitting concrete. Brieske died Friday evening at Summa Akron City Hospital.
Lt. Mike Lewis from the Kent State police department commended the quick response from Brieske's two friends, who gave first aid and called 911.
"We have no reason to suspect foul play, although we believe alcohol did play a factor in this incident," Lewis said. "There are lessons to be learned from this tragedy, and there will be an appropriate time for those discussions. We express our deepest sympathies to Jayden's family and his friends."
Kent State student dies:Night of fun takes tragic turn after Racine Horlick graduate falls from building, dies
Several Kent police officers were called to the University Inn just before 1 a.m., according to a report from the Kent city police. They found Brieske lying on the ground, face down, bleeding profusely. He was breathing heavily but responding officers could not get a response from him.
One of the friends at the scene, age 20, told police that he and the other friend, 19, had been drinking alcoholic beverages at the apartment they shared at the University Inn. At around 10:30 p.m. Oct. 9, Brieske stopped by to hang out with them. They left to purchase more alcohol and came back. Eventually, they decided to go to the rooftop of the eight-story University Inn to explore.
The three men went to the laundry room on the fourth floor where they started to climb up the balconies to the roof, near the rooftop restaurant. They explored the area for about half an hour. At some point, Brieske became separated from the other two. The two friends climbed down the way they came, and saw Brieske lying on the ground below. The two men went to the front of the building where they climbed down to the top floor balcony and took the stairs to the ground, where Brieske was lying.
According to Kent police, Brieske appears to have slipped off a narrow part of the roof while he was sliding across behind his two friends. The roof, officers reported, was "extremely slippery due to the dust and moisture accumulated on the surface."
According to police, both friends were hysterical and crying when they talked to responding officers.
Both men complied with a police request for a preliminary breath test. One had a result of 0.128 and the other had a 0.196. They were both told they would not be charged with prohibitions for drinking while underage. Responding officers gave the two contact information for mental health professionals. Kent State police also responded to provide resources to the students.
Police reported seeing broken glass globes on the south side of the roof; a maintenance worker told police the glass had not been broken that morning. According to Kent police, one of Brieske's friends broke the glass. A fire extinguisher later confirmed to belong at the University Inn was found in the driveway on the north side of the building. It appeared to have been dropped from the rooftop.
Reporter April Helms can be reached at ahelms@thebeaconjournal.com
Also see: https://www.jtirregulars.com/2024/10/night-of-fun-takes-tragic-turn-after.html
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