When committing suicide by leaping off buildings, why do people take off their shoes?

Question

Someone pointed out to me that when people commit suicide by jumping off buildings, a good percentage of them take their shoes off. What's the reasoning behind this?

Answer 1

To feel free

Answer 2

an instinctive, automatic gesture, without much thinking. usually, when you jump into water, you get off your shoes. i guess they would make them uncomfortable or something. but usually when doing such a gesture as jumping off a building to take their own life people don't think much and well...

Answer 3

This is pure speculation but my guess is because the majority of people who attempt/commit suicide don't really want to die.  They want the pain, confusion, frustration, feelings of emptiness, etc. to end and have lost all hope.  So based on that assumption my best guess would be that they take off their shoes when the climb up on the edge so they don't fall off before they're ready to take the plunge.  Because you usually have better footing, especially on flat surfaces, in your bare feet because you can grasp the surface and edges with your toes which usually doesn't work as well in shoes.  

Answer 4

so they dont slip and fall. ;) wink wink

Answer 5

maybe they feel more comfortable

Answer 6

maybe because when people find their shoes , they know  that they have committed suicide and they haven't been pushed down.

Answer 7

i dont really think so...

have u seen the chrisbrown music video "forever" ?

the lady was jumping off the building with her high heels and chrisbrown jumped off the building with his sneakers !

Answer 8

I've never heard anyone say that before.

But whenever I can get away with it, I take my shoes off.  Maybe the people crazy enough to jump of a building are the same type of crazy I am.