The man who hurled lawn chairs and other patio furniture off a 20-story tower in Midtown Manhattan on Monday had been delusional and paranoid two days before the bizarre incident, which was caught on camera, his brother told The Washington Post.
On Saturday night, Jean-Bernard Olivier, 51, received a phone call from his brother, the suspected furniture-thrower Jean-Luc Olivier, 33, who told him “people are trying to kill me.”
“I told him he needed to go to the doctor, he needed psychiatric help,” said Bernard, who learned of Luke’s arrest through the Washington Post.
According to Luke’s brother, this was not the first time Luke had exhibited manic behavior.
Luke moved from his native Haiti to live with Bernard in Miami in early 2023, but was kicked out of his home over the winter due to “anger” issues, the suit says.
“He was having issues with my wife and daughter … they were arguing,” Bernard recalled. “I came home from work one day and told him he had to leave.
He said Luke first moved to Arkansas to live with his girlfriend, then moved to New York after the two split up.
“Based on his behavior since arriving in the United States, I believe he has mental health issues,” Bernard said.
According to law enforcement officials, Luke became enraged after visiting the Haitian Consulate General at 555 Fifth Avenue.
He was arrested and charged with felony endangerment and criminal damage to property.
He pleaded not guilty and was released without bail by a Manhattan judge on Tuesday.
Luke could not be reached for comment.
