Fall River man runs from ICE agents, jumps onto newspaper building

FALL RIVER, Mass. - A man running from ICE agents jumped on a newspaper building's roof before the fire department had to be called to get him down.

Dennis Silva was inside the Fall River courthouse where he was scheduled to appear on a charge of indecent assault and battery on a child. He then stepped out to feed the meter, only to be greeted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who were waiting for him outside.

"ICE approached him at the car, announced 'Are you Dennis?' and he responded and they went to apprehend him, he got scared and ran," said Kevin Leeper, Silva's attorney.

As ICE agents pursued him, Silva ran two blocks until he reached a fence. However, behind that fence was a 25 foot drop, leading Silva to make the decision to leap onto the building.

As police and Leeper tried to talk Silva down, the fire department arrived with a ladder truck. After they placed Silva in handcuffs, they lowered him back down to the ground.

"I don’t think it was his intent to jump on the roof but when he was up there it was obviously too high to jump off," said Leeper.

In addition to state charges, Silva is now also facing federal charges for allegedly entering the country illegally.

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