World Trade Center Jumpers Fined for Sullying Memories of 9/11 Victims

BASE jumpers Andrew Rossig and James Brady, who parachuted off New York’s One World Trade Center, “sullied the memories” of 9/11 victims, a judge has ruled.

Andrew Rossig, 34, and James Brady, 33, were convicted of reckless endangerment and unauthorized climbing in connection with the jump in September 2013.

The jumpers were fined $2,000 each on August 10 and given community service.

They leapt from the top of the 104-storey skyscraper after sneaking through a hole in a construction fence.

A third jumper, Marko Markovich, will be sentenced on August 17.

Base jumping is an extreme sport, which involves leaping from high structures with a parachute.

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The jumpers filmed their night-time exploits at One World Trade Center using helmet cameras and posted the video online.

The building, which was still under construction at the time, is located at the same site where 2,700 lost their lives in the Islamist attack on September 11, 2001.

It contains a museum and memorial garden dedicated to those who died.

Judge Juan Merchan said: “These defendants tarnished the building before it even opened and sullied the memories of those who jumped on 9/11, not for sport but because they had to.”

In June, a jury acquitted each of the three men of the more serious charge of burglary.

Speaking after sentencing, Andrew Rossig apologized for his actions and vowed never to parachute in New York City again.

“We understand that what we did could possibly have endangered other people and it’s never going to happen again,” he added.