HIGH STAKES

FBI Suspect Threatens to Jump Out of 31st-Floor Window

Ian Mitchell’s tense standoff with authorities ended after several hours, when police actually rappelled into his apartment.

An hours-long standoff took place Wednesday in New York City when a man accused of conning investors out of $100,000 by pretending to be the child of a rich Jamaican family threatened to jump from the 31st floor of a skyscraper when the FBI tried to serve him a search warrant. Ian Mitchell, 35, allegedly broke the apartment window and tried to climb out Wednesday morning, and could be seen dangling from the building. By the early afternoon, he had left the window but barricaded himself inside the apartment, threatening to jump as police, the FBI, a hostage negotiation team, and even Mayor Eric Adams tried to talk him down. Just before 5 p.m., police rappelled into the apartment and retrieved Mitchell, who was placed in an ambulance.