Elk City, OK — Beckham County deputies got an unexpected surprise when they spotted a man scaling the scaffolding around the county courthouse in downtown Sayre. According to Sheriff Derek Manning, deputies were leaving the sheriff’s office last week when they noticed the man at the very top of the structure, apparently preparing to climb onto the courthouse roof.

"Deputies were walking out of the sheriff’s office and looked up… saw a guy up on the very top of the scaffolding getting ready to climb onto the roof,” said Manning. “Turned out to be intoxicated, of course, and was using that level of judgment.”

Rather than pursuing the man up the scaffolding, deputies used the PA system to call out to him.

“They got on the loudspeaker and said, ‘Hey, come down from there,’ and he did,” Manning said. “Didn’t have to climb up and wrestle him… it didn’t turn out to be a Die Hard movie or anything.”

The man told deputies he climbed the scaffolding because he “just wanted to see the sunset.”

No injuries were reported. Sheriff Manning noted he’s contacted the commissioner about the scaffolding’s security and recommended that the construction company re-evaluate access to the courthouse roof.

“It was safely handled and, once again, good police work,” Manning said. “You just never know.”