College student falls to death trying to take photos at NYC hotel

MIDTOWN, Manhattan -- Police say a young man fell to his death as he and a friend climbed scaffolding at the Four Seasons Hotel in Midtown.

Officials believe that the 20-year-old victim and his friend were just trying to take pictures.

Connor Cummings' family described him as a photography buff.

He and his 18-year-old friend were climbing scaffolding inside when he fell nine stories down an interior shaft just after 11 p.m. Wednesday.

Cummings was pronounced dead at the scene.

His friend climbed down to get help, and now that friend is being interviewed by detectives.

Police at the scene did recover the photography equipment he was using.

The young man's aunt Katie Gentile, however, feels like the whole incident doesn't add up.

"We're trying to get answers. They say that he went up the elevator, and then went up a stairway, and then went out on a balcony, but the cops aren't saying exactly what happened. And, I know the medical examiner was up there. I mean, he's a young kid, he's a good kid, they weren't drinking or anything, they were taking a picture," Gentile said.

Cummings is from Rockaway, New Jersey and was attending college in Massachusetts.

Police say that Cummings and his friend were not guests at the hotel.