North Carolina Police Officer Rescues Distressed Man About To Jump Off Bridge, Gives Him A Hug [Video]
A video showing a Raleigh, North Carolina, police officer talking a man off a bridge is going viral fast. The video shows a man precariously perched in the ledge of a bridge being approached by the police officer. The officer seems to be having a conversation with the man and is seemingly attempting to talk him out of a possible suicidal move. The man doesn’t seem to be listening at first – but suddenly he makes a move and jumps back onto the road and to safety. The police officer then hugs the man he just rescued. The hug lasts for quite a few seconds after which the officer gently walks off with the man. Both the men are then seen approached by another police officer.
According to ABC 7 News, this video clip was released by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The events shown in the video reportedly happened on Wednesday evening on the Beltline over Wade Avenue just after 7 p.m. According to reports, police received a call informing them about a man who was attempting suicide by hanging over the edge of the bridge, seemingly in an attempt to jump off the bridge.
The police officer seen in the video was reportedly off duty and was headed home when he came across the distressed man. The officer decided to stop and talk to the distressed man, developing a rapport with him and talking him out of almost certain death.
Both the men shown in the video remain unidentified. It is also unclear as to what happened to the distressed man after he was accosted away by his rescuer and the other police officer seen in the video.
Raleigh police officer talks man off bridge and gives him a hug http://t.co/8QdE45Gq91 pic.twitter.com/HNgiz7eIEP
— ABC11 EyewitnessNews (@ABC11_WTVD) September 10, 2015
The video once again highlights how police officers can be excellent life savers.
Update: The police officer who was seen in the video has been identified as Dan Hicks, reports NY Daily News.
As reported earlier, Hicks was off duty and was on his way home when he spotted the man sitting on the ledge of an overpass. He confirmed that the overpass was on Interstate 440. When asked about the words he used to persuade the man to walk back in to life, he said he only made a few “compassionate statements” which was enough for the man to listen to him.
“He got a big old Dan Hicks bear hug whether he wanted it or not,” he told WRAL News.
The identity of the rescue man has not been revealed and he has received mental health help.
[Image Via YouTube Screengrab]
