Brave NYPD officers saved the life of a barefoot man who threatened to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge on Saturday and even flipped a bird over a police officer before dangling precariously from the famous bridge.
Police responded at 3:17 p.m. to reports of a man climbing the outside portion of the bridge near the Brooklyn side, police officials said.
When officers arrived at the scene, they began a conversation with a man who told them he intended to commit suicide by jumping.
He then defiantly gave the middle finger to the officers who tried to coax him from the steel beam.
Photos show a man's most dangerous stunt yet, hanging from the bottom of a bridge with only his hands, more than 100 feet above the East River.
He remained in that position for nearly 20 seconds, almost suffering an accidental physical breakdown.
At one point, the man walked the beam like he was walking a plank, stopping at the end and crouching down to look out over the crowd that had gathered to witness it at Brooklyn Bridge Park.
bridge. robert miller
Witnesses said the man who may have jumped was agitated and visibly flailing his arms, shaking his head violently and shouting at responding officers.
When the man finally forced himself to his feet, officers sprung into action.
Please take him to a safe place. robert miller
One of the ESU officers was able to reach over the beam and place a hand on the man's back. Another ESU employee came from behind and was able to trap the man in a safe location.
The standoff lasted just over an hour, and the man was taken into custody at 4:22 p.m.
Meanwhile, westbound traffic on the bridge was brought to an emergency halt to allow New York City Police Department Emergency Services Unit and Tactical Support Response Unit drone teams to gain access to the potential jumper.
The man was taken to Bellevue Hospital for psychological evaluation. No charges have been filed.
