MADISON – A woman was talked from the edge of the Chain of Rocks Bridge Monday morning around 10:40 a.m.
Multiple agencies, including the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Illinois State Police, the St. Louis City Fire Department boat rescue and the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, responded to the tense scene Monday morning. The bridge was closed to traffic as police talked the woman down from the edge.
“At 8:55 a.m., officers responded for a ‘Call for Help’ from a concerned citizen reporting that a black female appeared to be looking over the railing as is if she was considering jumping off the Chain of Rocks Bridge,” St. Louis Metropolitan Police Public Information Officer Michelle Woodling said in an emailed statement. “Officers from both sides of the river responded and recognized the woman was in distress and the assistance of St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department Crisis Negotiators were requested to the scene. Both eastbound and westbound Interstate 270 was shut down for approximately two hours while de-escalation tactics were implemented. Crisis Negotiator Team members worked together to successfully gain the confidence of the woman and convince her to get the medical help she needed. The woman was conveyed to a local hospital for treatment. Additional resources from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, Illinois Highway Patrol, Madison County Sheriff’s Department, the St. Louis Fire Department, Coast Guard and Metro Air Support were utilized to bring this incident to a successful conclusion.”
With suicide rates increasing across all demographics, according to a recent report from the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the need for mental health awareness is extremely important. Anyone feeling suicidal or having such thoughts is asked to seek help immediately, including through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which can be reached at 1-800-273-8255.
Chris Rhodes also contributed to this story.
