Video obtained by the New York Post shows three teenagers climbing inside a structural column of the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge on Feb. 17 in a risky social-media stunt that ended in a serious fall.
GoPro footage recorded by the boys captures them entering a service opening near the pedestrian walkway and ascending ladders inside the steel shaft. At times, the camera shows the city skyline and the East River far below. The teens, described as being from Long Island, can be heard urging each other forward as they move deeper into the narrow column.
The fall itself is not shown, but audio recorded by the others captures the aftermath, with the injured teen — identified in online fundraisers as Frankie — repeatedly crying out in pain from below. According to his family, the two other boys continued recording instead of immediately seeking help.
The video then cuts and resumes on the bridge walkway, where one teen records a voice message on Snapchat saying he believed Frankie had died.
Authorities said the injured teen remained trapped at the bottom of the shaft for about four hours in below-freezing conditions. A fundraiser on GoFundMe and a petition on Change.org claim the other teens also took his phone, preventing him from calling for help.
Emergency services were ultimately alerted by a passerby who contacted the FDNY. Frankie suffered significant blood loss and hypothermia and is expected to need multiple surgeries, according to the family’s fundraiser.
The footage was later shared in a WhatsApp group for urban-exploration enthusiasts before reaching the Post. Police said the two other teens now face charges: a 14-year-old accused of reckless endangerment and criminal trespass, and a 15-year-old charged with criminal trespass, according to the NYPD.