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Suicidal Man Causes Partial Shut Down Of Verrazano-Narrows Bridge For Over 4 Hours
By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 23, 2012
Modified Jul 23, 2012
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By
John Del Signore
Published Jul 23, 2012
Modified Jul 23, 2012
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Since 12:30 this afternoon, a suicidal man has been standing on the outer edge of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to Staten Island, threatening to jump. Police say the man appears to be in his 30s and is described as an "emotionally disturbed person." As of 4:45 p.m. he was still standing on the ledge, and Staten Island-bound upper levels were closed as the NYPD, ESU, and Harbor Patrol deal with the situation. UPDATE: At 4:50 p.m., an MTA spokesperson tells us that first responders have just talked him down.
The MTA also says westbound traffic is currently delayed up to 15 minutes crossing on the lower level. The Staten Island Advance reports that traffic delays traffic is backed up to the Gowanus Expressway. In the Staten Island town of Fort Wadsworth, a high school church group visiting from Michigan formed a circle as they prayed for the man. "The way our world is, jobs, the economy, houses, marriages are falling apart, oh my God," a New Jersey resident tells the Advance. "I don't think these people realize what they do hurts the ones they leave behind."
Tagged
Jumper
staten island
suicide
Verrazano-Narrows Bridge
John Del Signore
Originally from the Albany area, John Del Signore has called NYC home since 1995. In addition to his thousands of meticulously-crafted bespoke blog posts for Gothamist, his writing has also been published in The Awl, Deadspin, The Nervous Breakdown, and performed at The Brick Theater in Brooklyn.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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