Rockhampton death: Ethical Standards Command investigates balcony fall

A resident at the unit block where a man fell to his death was too afraid to go outside after hearing yelling and swearing in the lead up to the horror tragedy.

Residents at this Alma Street unit block in Rockhampton were shocked to hear a man had died following a fall from an upper-level balcony.

A resident at the unit block where a man fell to his death was too afraid to go outside after hearing yelling and swearing in the lead up to the horror tragedy.

What appears to be bloodstains mark the Rockhampton laneway where the 37-year-0ld man suffered critical injuries after a stand-off with police on Saturday night.

The incident has sparked a full investigation by the police watchdog.

Officers were called to an Alma St unit block about 9pm after reports of a trespasser and on arrival found the 37-year-old man standing on a second-floor balcony railing.

Police tried to negotiate with him, but following these attempts the man fell from the balcony and suffered life threatening injuries.

He was taken to Rockhampton Hospital for treatment, but died.

Residents at the unit block on Sunday expressed their shock at hearing of his death today.

What appears to be bloodstains in the laneway where a man suffered fatal injuries from fall from an upper level balcony of Alma St flats in Rockhampton.

A woman living on the ground floor, who did not want to be identified, said she had been “too scared” to go outside due to loud yelling, swearing and general commotion that occurred during the incident.

“I didn’t realise someone had died,” she said.

“I was outside watering (about 7pm) when I heard raised voices from one of the units upstairs. I couldn’t make out which one. I kept inside after that.

“I was on the phone to mum for 45 minutes and I saw flashing lights. That might have been the police.”

A couple with a young child who lived in an adjacent area of the unit complex said they were shocked to hear of the man’s death.

“We heard the sirens and saw all the police but we don’t know much,’’ they said.

The laneway where a man suffered fatal injuries after falling from an upper level balcony of the Alma St unit block.

“We knew something was going on but didn’t know it was so serious. That’s very close to home.”

They couple said police were still there at 1.30am.

The State Coroner has been advised, and the Ethical Standards Command is investigating the death.

The investigation is also subject to independent oversight by the Crime and Corruption Commission.

This comes barely six months after ESC officers began investigating the death of a 30-year-old Sunshine Coast man after he was restrained and medically sedated following an incident on the Fraser Coast.

On July 27 emergency services were called to a motel on Alice St in Maryborough just before midday for a welfare check after calls a man was acting erratically.

Officers restrained him before he was medically sedated and an ambulance took him to hospital where he had a medical episode and died a short time later.