Video: NYPD Officer Rescues Man Threatening to Jump from Williamsburg Bridge

Jack Phillips
10/1/2018
Updated:
10/1/2018

NYPD officers saved a man who was threatening to jump from the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, according to officials.

The NYPD released video footage of the rescue.

“Every day, #NYPD cops perform amazing acts of bravery and heroism, all in the name of keeping NYers safe,” NYPD commissioner James O’Neill wrote on Sept. 30. “Outstanding work. Stay safe.”
The NYPD Special Ops Twitter account wrote: “Outstanding work today by #NYPD ESU saving a distraught male from on top of the Williamsburg bridge. Detectives from Truck One after climbing up top, had to shimmy across 15 feet of suspension cable to reach the male, then place him in a harness to lower to safety.”
The New York Post reported that there were no injuries.

The man, who was not identified, climbed a beam and held on to the bridge’s cables until he was taken in about an hour later, the Post reported.

Traffic was stopped and subway service over the bridge was halted due to police activity.

Detective Thomas Longa told ABC7 that the man was threatening to kill himself.
NYPD officers saved a man who was threatening to jump from the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, according to officials. (NYPD)
NYPD officers saved a man who was threatening to jump from the Williamsburg Bridge in Brooklyn, according to officials. (NYPD)

“I tried establish a rapport with him and he mentioned nothing going on in his life, and would be worth ending it,” said Longa. After 75 minutes, the man then wanted to come down.

“He was able to recognize he was going to get help. He was very thankful,” added Longa.

He was lowered by a harness to the pedestrian walkway, Fox5 New York reported. The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital after the incident.
Jack Phillips is a breaking news reporter with 15 years experience who started as a local New York City reporter. Having joined The Epoch Times' news team in 2009, Jack was born and raised near Modesto in California's Central Valley. Follow him on X: https://twitter.com/jackphillips5
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