Shocking scene: Prisoner jumps from top of building to escape police in Namibia

An escaped prisoner resorted to throwing himself off the roof of a shopping mall in Namibia in an attempt to escape from police.

Videos circulated on social media showing the dramatic scene in the northern city of Rondo.

Police forces had cordoned off the Kavango Gateway shopping center, while the prisoner stood on the edge of the roof in a precarious position.

Escaping from the police

This came amid a state of anticipation and astonishment among the crowds of citizens who gathered to follow the situation.

The prisoner had managed to escape during his transfer to the detention center, before fleeing towards the shopping center and climbing onto its roof, threatening to commit suicide if the police tried to approach him.

For about two hours, police forces tried to persuade the prisoner to back down from his threat and surrender, but one of the video clips showed the moment when someone approached him to try to control him, only for the man to surprise them by throwing himself off the roof towards the ground.

Unknown health condition

Ambulance crews rushed to his aid in an attempt to rescue him, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

This comes as the nature and severity of his injuries remain unclear, according to local media reports.