First Responders Pull Man To Safety In Dramatic Rescue On Manhattan Bridge
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- First responders rescued a man who was threatening to jump off the Manhattan Bridge on Thursday.
Just before 7 a.m. Thursday, a man called 911 saying he was hesitant to jump off the Manhattan Bridge because he didn't want to hit pedestrians below on Cherry Street, 1010 WINS' Samantha Liebman reported.
Two NYPD Emergency Services Unit trucks couldn't see the man because he was standing behind a pillar on the north side of the bridge.
The Aviation Unit flew over the scene to pinpoint his location.
Once they located him, Detective Robert McGree tried to engage him.
"I kept telling him 'talk to me what's your name?' He wouldn't say anything to me besides 'I want to jump, I want to jump' over and over again. I kept asking 'What's the problem? This isn't really a solution,'" he said.
"The heights, we were dealing with a beveled ledge which was very slippery, luckily it wasn't raining otherwise it would've been much worse, everything is safety minded," said ESU Detective John McKenna.
As one officer distracted the man, three others were able to pull him to safety.
Video shows a crowd of clapping pedestrians stopped at the foot of the Manhattan Bridge, relieved that the NYPD Emergency Services Unit was able to rescue the man.
"That was greatly appreciated, I didn't realize it at the time, but I greatly appreciate it to hear it," said McGee.
The whole ordeal lasted 25 minutes.
