Photos: Wilshire Grand death

Investigators examine a car on Wilshire Boulevard that the man, who was not identified, struck around noon after falling 53 stories.

Upon completion, the 1,100-foot Wilshire Grand tower will be the tallest structure west of the Mississippi. The $1.2-billion hotel and office project is scheduled to be completed next year.

News of the man’s death stunned onlookers who milled around the police tape blocking traffic along stretches of Wilshire and Figueroa Street.

Turner Construction, the company that manages the building site, issued a statement saying that safety protections were not a factor in the fall.

Witnesses along Wilshire Boulevard, who said the man who fell did not appear to be wearing a safety harness or hard hat, heard an impact and turned to find the man’s body near a vehicle. Above, people gather at a news conference near the site.