A state official fell to his death in what appears to be a suicidal jump from the 27th floor of an apartment building in Hanoi on Thursday.

Residents at the Vinacomex 1 Apartment Complex in Cau Giay District heard a sound of something hitting the ground at around 5:00 pm, and were terrified to find a body lying on the building’s premises.

The victim, identified as Pham Van Khuong, deputy director of the municipal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, was immediately brought to the 198 Hospital.

But doctors there said he had already died before hospitalization, Chu Phu My, director of the municipal agriculture department, confirmed to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Friday.

The incident was reported to police officers by the management board of the building.

My told Tuoi Tre that police are still investigating the case.

According to a security guard at Vinacomex 1, CCTV footage showed that the official returned to the apartment building at 4:30 pm the same day.

He took an elevator to his apartment on the 16th floor of Block B.

The man then got out of the flat, having changed his outfit, and used the lift to get to the 27th floor, where he was seen in CCTV jumping off the building, according to the body guard’s account.

According to a representative of the Hanoi agriculture department, Khuong went to work as usual on Thursday and did not show any sign of a health condition.

His family members stated that he had not had any strange behaviors or left any notes prior to his death.  

Khuong, 56, assumed his position as deputy director of the Hanoi agriculture department in May 2018.

He was previously deputy head of the municipal Department of Planning and Investment.

His funeral was organized on Friday.

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