What to Know
- On April 25, at around 7:30 p.m., a man jumped off a parking garage on 10th Avenue in downtown San Diego, landing on a woman walking on the sidewalk below.
- That woman, Taylor Kahle, 29, was killed upon impact, police said.
- The man who jumped died by suicide.
A kind friend, always there to listen. A fearless woman who had found her voice. A talented event planner with a knack for details. That’s how a close friend will forever remember the woman tragically killed in downtown San Diego when a suicidal man jumped from a building, landing on top of her.
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“She was just very kind,” Laurel McFarlane said, remembering her co-worker and friend, Taylor Kahle. “She was one of the good ones.”
Kahle, 29, had gone to dinner on Sunday night at Basic Bar & Pizza on 10th Avenue in downtown San Diego, out on a third date with a man she was getting to know.
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“She had just met someone that she kind of liked – it was new, just starting out – and she was just excited that there was someone she was having a connection with,” McFarlane said.
The pair didn’t stay long at the restaurant. Security video obtained by NBC 7 showed them sitting at the bar, eating and talking.
The pair left just after 7:30 p.m., walking east on J Street before crossing over to the 400 block of 10th Avenue.
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A few steps later – as the pair strolled on the sidewalk beneath a parking structure – San Diego police said a suicidal man jumped from the parking structure, landing on top of Kahle.
She was killed. The man died by suicide, police said. Kahle’s date was not harmed.
NBC 7 also obtained security footage from outside the pizza restaurant, which showed Kahle and her companion crossing the street before the tragic incident.
The footage also captured the reaction of two people walking behind them. They were so stunned by what they had just seen, they stopped in their tracks – frozen on the crosswalk for a second – before running over to help them.
McFarlane said the entire incident was unreal – truly unbelievable.
“That’s what makes you feel like she’s still going to walk through the door,” she told NBC 7. “I just want to hug her and tell her, ‘It’s going to be OK and we’re going to fix you up and you’ll be fine.’”
McFarlane is the owner of McFarlane Promotions, Inc., an event planning company in the Gaslamp Quarter known for its downtown holiday block parties and local events like San Diego Restaurant Week.
Kahle had worked there for the past nine years, McFarlane said, coming a long way from when she started out as an intern.
McFarlane remembers Kahle being “painfully shy” in those early days – so much so that she would handwrite notes to McFarlane to tell her what she wanted at work. McFarlane saw a spark and so much potential in Kahle, though, and wanted to help her find her voice.
And that, Kahle did.
“It was just incredible to watch this person blossom and be fearless,” McFarlane told NBC 7. “It was incredible to watch this woman evolve as a human. It was a real gift, actually.”
McFarlane said Kahle was always calm and focused, a detail-oriented events planner who took great care of her clients. Her last big project had been helping McFarlane Promotions produce the springtime edition of San Diego Restaurant Week earlier this month.
McFarlane said Kahle had stepped up to roles that weren’t even hers during the pandemic, always working hard, always “with a smile.”
“In all this craziness, it was nice to know you could always count on someone,” she added.
Kahle would’ve turned 30 on May 2.
McFarlane said she had planned a wine tasting weekend with friends in Temecula. Kahle’s dad – with whom she lived – was going to play chauffer and drive them to the wineries. McFarlane said Kahle had even bought him a little hat for the gig.
She had a lot more life to live.
“Just this beautiful person, who had this incredible life ahead of them, is gone – in such a tragic way,” McFarlane said. “She had so much more to give.”
McFarlane said Kahle loved animals and had a chihuahua named Stella who would often go to work with her. She had also recently rescued another pup named Rue.
She said she will miss her friend – getting drinks after work, the long talks, all of it.
“She was fiercely loyal to people who were loyal to her,” she added. “Every friend should have a Taylor.”
If you are struggling, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at (800) 273-8255. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress and suicide prevention resources for you or your loved ones. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention offers help, too.
