PA ImagesA tragic 911 call reveals how Joi ‘SJ’ Harris lost control of her motorbike before going ‘airborne’ straight through a glass window pane.
The call emerged after concerneed witnesses claimed Joi hadn’t been wearing a helmet, so as to reflect the character she was portraying. Dispatchers can be heard discussing how Harris was tossed into the air after hitting the curb, smashing into the lobby of Shaw Tower.
You can hear the call below:
In the call, published by TMZ, the 911 operator can be heard asking:
The actor went through the window of a vehicle, or something?
An unnamed male caller then described the moment the movie sequence shoot went horrifically wrong:
No, the actor lost control, went across the street, over a curb and through a glass pane window into a building across the street.
Another voice can then be heard saying:
Just so that guy is aware, the stunt actor was airborne through the building.
In the background of the call, a voice can be heard saying how SJ ‘hasn’t been moving’. Despite calling for assistance, her injuries proved to be fatal.
This latest tragedy comes just weeks after stuntman John Bernecker died after a stunt gone wrong on the set of The Walking Dead.
My ❤️ goes out to the loved ones of SJ Harris. She was a trailblazer and a champion for women of color. Gone too soon. Rest in love ?❤️
— om (@oliviamunn) August 15, 2017
SJ was the first African American woman to work as a professional road racer. She had enjoyed an established career, but this had been her first opportunity to work on a movie set.
Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time.
Jules studied English Literature with Creative Writing at Lancaster University before earning her masters in International Relations at Leiden University in The Netherlands (Hoi!). She then trained as a journalist through News Associates in Manchester. Jules has previously worked as a mental health blogger, copywriter and freelancer for various publications.