An Arizona State University student who jumped off the Arizona Republic building in downtown Phoenix last night in an apparent suicide attempt was an intern at the newspaper, sources tell New Times.
The student lept from the roof of the Republic's parking garage at Second and Taylor streets near the Sheraton hotel and ASU's Phoenix campus -- but he survived the nine-story fall.
He was taken to a hospital in extremely serious condition.
We contacted two Republic employees -- an editor and a reporter -- about the apparent suicide attempt. Neither would talk about it on the record. Additionally, in the Republic's story about the incident, it makes no mention of the fact that the student was an employee of the newspaper.
Our source says the student, whom we won't identify by name, is a student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the university's downtown campus, which is just a few blocks from the Republic building.
The student was one of the Republic's breaking-news interns, according to our source.
Breaking-news interns at the Republic are usually paid, and they're allowed to park in the paper's garage.
The Republic's community relations department didn't immediately return our call seeking comment.
*UPDATE: the Arizona Republic reports that the student has died. Check back for updates.
