Group of Good Samaritan truckers line up to make a safety net under a bridge after a man threatens suicide
A group of truckers assisted local law enforcement on Tuesday in an attempt to save a man's life after he threatened to commit suicide off a freeway overpass in Detroit. Reports state that the Michigan State Police officials and local law enforcement asked for assistance from a group of 13 semitruck divers. The drivers then aligned their vehicles below a bridge over a Detroit freeway, Interstate 696.
The drivers reportedly formed a line in an effort to shorten the fall of the unnamed man by a significant measure, if he ultimately decided to jump.
A Michigan State Police spokesperson, Lt. Mike Shaw, said that the man was first reported standing on the edge of the bridge over oncoming traffic just before 1 am, according to NPR.
Shortly after the report, police officials responded by closing down traffic across all the six lanes moving in both directions, reports state. Shaw told NRP: "It's the first step in potential jumper situations," while adding that halting traffic assists in calming down people contemplating suicide and also helps in keeping cars driving below the bridge from crashing into each other.
Reports state that shortly after stopping the traffic, troopers began sending these semitruck drivers below the overpass to form a line with their vehicles below the bridge.
The authorities also tweeted a picture of the "truck wall" and reminded the public that help is available 24 hours a day for those contemplating suicide.
"It provides a safety net for the person in case they happen to lose their grip and fall or if they decide to jump," Shaw said. "With the trucks lined up underneath they're only falling about five to six feet as opposed 15 or 16."
The man reportedly backed off on his own accord after nearly two hours of engaging with the police officials. Shaw said that he is currently receiving help. "He was looking to take his own life but we were able to talk to him and find out what his specific trigger was and helped correct it," Shaw said.