Unauthorized parachutists caught on video jumping from Space Needle

Tourists at Seattle’s Space Needle got a little more than the view they expected Friday, when two men parachuted off the iconic structure’s Observation Deck.

Video on X, posted by Seattle Submissions, shows two men scaling the glass-panel barrier at the top of Seattle’s best-known landmark, then jumping over it and landing on the Needle’s outer-ring platform.

Two people reportedly jumped off Seattle’s Space Needle with parachutes in broad daylight. 😳🪂 pic.twitter.com/zuJjJtkcJE

— SEATTLESUBMISSIONS (@SEATTLESUBMISS) July 25, 2026

That narrow ledge, just inches from what would be a 520-foot drop-off, is not a place where you’d want to hang out for very long.

Especially if you’re afraid of heights.

But both men climbed over the glass shield, then lowered themselves down to the metal ledge, with parachutes in backpacks strapped to their bodies.

Apparently the trespassers are also safety-conscious.

Video shows both wore helmets and it looked like they were decked out with GoPro cameras, attached at the top.

The two men didn’t waste time.

They acted quickly, apparently trying to avoid being caught by security officers or Space Needle employees.

Then, after just a few seconds, they bravely took the plunge, jumping right off that ledge, to the stunned amazement of onlookers who watched their every move.

In the video, you see one of the parachutists do a backflip off the edge, starting his long, unauthorized descent to the ground.

Another video taken from ground level shows one parachutist drifting down to around the 100-foot level, then disappearing into obscurity.

It’s unclear where the men landed or where they went after completing the daredevil stunt from the well-known Seattle tourist attraction.

But stay tuned.

With GoPro cameras atop their heads recording the freefall and eventual parachute ride to the ground, you can bet we’ll soon find out more.

It’s likely the pair will want to boast of their brazen act of dropping from the 1962-era, iconic landmark.

We may even learn who they are, why they did it, and where they ended up.

The Seattle Police Department issued a statement Saturday evening indicating the two men committed the crime of Criminal Trespass in the 1st Degree.

Officers say they are looking for two white males, both in their late 20s.

One wore a white helmet, a white shirt, white shorts and a white-and-black backpack.

The other was wearing a black shirt with color prints, black pants and had a blue-and-pink backpack.

The statement from police added that both men had purchased tickets, had scouted the area, and then entered the bathroom.

“The suspects entered the restroom and came out with their helmets on,” the statement said.  “Both suspects approached the glass window facing northbound, running and jumping over to the opposite side of the glass.  Both suspects were on the ledge and did a backflip off.”

This was not the first time someone has parachuted off the Space Needle.

In 1996, three men and a woman made an authorized jump.

During that incident, a 29-year-old woman from New York City was hurt.

A steering line became wrapped over the top of her parachute, which made it impossible for her to control it.

She spun wildly in the air before hitting hard in a grassy area.

The stunt left her with a broken bone in her lower back, but not paralyzed.