Base Jumper Killed When Chute Fails to Open After Jump from ABC 53 TV Tower

Friends, family and the skydiving community is shocked and saddened after an attempted base jump in Jackson County on Wednesday night went tragically wrong.

Josh Sheppard, an experienced skydiver, climbed to the top of the 1,000 foot WLAJ-TV (ABC 53) tower in Rives Junction around 5:30pm.  After he leaped from the top of the tower, WLNS-TV, which operates ABC 53, reports that witnesses say his parachute failed to depoy.

An August 2013 photo on Sheppard's Facebook page depicts him at the top of a radio or television tower.  It is not stated what tower is shown.

Sheppard was 31.

RIP.