A suspected shoplifter trying to escape Houston police made a wild and painful decision inside the Galleria Mall on Sunday afternoon—jumping from the second story and crashing onto the ice skating rink below.
According to local news outlets, police officers were working a security shift inside the Galleria when they were alerted to a theft in progress. They quickly located the suspect, who bolted through the mall and jumped over a second-floor railing in an attempt to escape. He landed hard on the ice below, and let’s just say…he didn’t get far.
Video captured by witness Ken Gilliard shows the man sprawled on the rink, screaming in pain. “As soon as he fell, he tried to get up. And I guess he noticed that his legs were broken. He screamed, ‘My legs are broken,’” Gilliard told Click2Houston. In the video, officers can be seen stepping onto the ice to reach him.
“He jumped straight down, tried to land, and when he hit the ice, his legs literally went out from under him—they snapped,” Martyn Norris told FOX 26. Norris, who was shopping nearby, said he saw officers chasing the man before the leap. According to him, the suspect shouted, “Come get me,” right before jumping.
Bystanders watched in disbelief. “Oh my God,” Gilliard said in his recording. “Bro just fell from up there. He jumped from the top, landed straight on ice.”
The man was taken to a local hospital with serious leg injuries. As of the latest reports, his identity has not been released, and formal charges are still pending. Police say he is expected to face charges for theft and evading arrest.
While the incident drew shock and curiosity from onlookers, some locals say it’s part of a troubling trend of an uptick in shoplifting. “Please think twice,” Norris added. “This is one of the most heavily populated police areas ever. Wherever you go or whatever you try, they’re going to catch you.”
Police have not said whether drugs or alcohol played a role. One witness summed up what many were thinking: “I don’t know why he thought he was gonna make that landing whatsoever,” said Victor Harris.
Mall security sees a lot. A suspect swan-diving onto an ice rink mid-escape and breaking his legs? That’s probably a new one.