Murder probe after man falls 70ft from window onto busy street in North Finchley

Woman held after neighbours hear huge argument, then man falls into street
Detectives continue to investigate the death of a man in North Finchley
John Dunne
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A murder investigation has been launched after a man fell 70ft to his death from an apartment block onto a busy shopping street.

The victim suffered severe injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene opposite a theatre and art gallery in North Finchley.

He was found on the pavement outside the entrance to an eight-storey block in High Road at about 3.20pm yesterday.

One neighbour said they heard screams before the man fell from an open sixth-floor window.

“There was a huge argument. There was screaming. The next thing we knew there were blue flashing lights and the emergency services were there. All hell broke loose.”

Naik Mohammed, who runs a barber shop, described how a woman came running from the block and was seen crying next to the body.

He said: “I heard a massive thud and looked out and saw who I thought was a young boy on the pavement. I was in total shock.

“I ran out with some towels from my shop to cover him. His partner was there, she was hysterical. I couldn’t sleep last night, I can’t get it out of my head. I’ll never forget it, the poor guy.”

Shopkeeper Sadhees Pathmanathan said: “It was a busy afternoon. Young kids would have been in the area and seen that, it’s terrible.”

The apartment block, which has 75 flats, remained cordoned off today with tarpaulin covering the pavement outside the entrance. Forensics teams were seen searching a flat on the sixth floor.

A Met spokesman said: “Police were called by London Ambulance Service at approximately 3.20pm on February 12 to a critically injured man in High Road, N12.

"Officers attended the location. It was reported that a man had fallen from height.

"The man was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination and formal identification will be arranged in due course.”

A woman, aged in her twenties, was arrested near to the scene.

She has been taken into custody at a north London police station.

“The death was assessed as suspicious and the woman arrested on suspicion of murder. Enquiries continue to establish the full circumstances,” the spokesman added.

Any witnesses or anyone with information is asked to call police on 101.

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