Heroic NYPD officers saved life of a barefoot man who threatened to jump from the Brooklyn Bridge Saturday — and who even flipped the bird at officers before dangling precariously from the famous span.
Cops responded at 3:17 PM to reports of a man climbing around on the outside part of the bridge near the Brooklyn side, according to police sources.
When officers arrived on scene, they began a dialogue with the man who told them he was going to jump off and kill himself.
He then defiantly displayed his middle finger to the officer who was trying to talk him down off the iron beams.
Photos show the man’s most dangerous stunt — hanging from underneath the bridge with just two hands more than 100 feet over the East River.
He held that position for nearly 20-seconds, just to the point of flirting with accidental physical failure.
At one point, the man walked a beam like he was walking the plank, stopped to crouch at the very end, and surveyed the crowd of people that had gathered to witness in Brooklyn Bridge Park.
bridge. Robert Miller
The possible jumper was described by witnesses as agitated — visibly flailing his arms, shaking his head violently, and seemingly screaming at responding officers.
When the man eventually muscled himself back up — officers made their move.
him to safety. Robert Miller
One ESU officer was able to reach across a beam and put a hand on the man’s back. Another ESU officer came from behind and they were able to corral the man to safety.
The standoff lasted just over an hour, with the man being taken into custody at 4:22PM.
During that time, westbound traffic on the bridge was put to an emergency halt so that NYPD Emergency Service Units — as well as the Tactical Assistance Response Unit Drone Team — could gain access to the potential jumper.
The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital for psychological evaluation. No charges have been filed.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or are experiencing a mental health crisis and live in New York City, you can call 1-888-NYC-WELL for free and confidential crisis counseling. If you live outside the five boroughs, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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