Bodycam shows Yonkers officer grabbing man who tried to jump onto the highway

Yonkers police have released a heart-stopping body cam video of the moment a life was saved on a bridge spanning a busy freeway.

In the early morning hours Thursday, Yonkers police answered a call about a man hanging over a guardrail. The caller said they believed the man was going to jump off the overpass near Central Park Ave. onto the southbound lanes of Interstate 87 below.

As units arrived, they found the man leaning against the guardrail in apparent distress.

Second Precinct Police Officer Michael Heath tried to develop a rapport with the man, and was later joined by Emergency Service Unit Police Officer Sandro Vazquez. The officers pleaded with the man to step away from the guardrail and speak to the officers about his troubles.

After approximately 16 minutes of talking, it seemed as if the despondent man was ready to accept their help, but instead, he quickly turned away from the officers and jumped over the guardrail.

Catching this man as he was falling, just a fraction of a second before he was out of arm’s reach, were Yonkers Police Department Officers Heath, Vazquez, Melendez, Brandon, Clayton, and McCown.

The officers managed to pull the man back over the guardrail to safety. He was then taken to the hospital for evaluation.

"Good, compassionate work by our Yonkers Police saved this individual and motorists from potential injury or worse," Yonkers Mayor Mike Spano said. "I applaud our skillful officers who stepped in with precision. Mental health continues to affect communities across the country, and, in Yonkers, we are fortunate to have resources and support to properly train our officers, so they can assist those in need."

Yonkers Police Commissioner Christopher Sapienza said that the attempts to calm the man and convince him to accept their help were equally as impressive as the split-second heroics that saved him from a decision that could have had tragic results.

“The Yonkers Police Department is committed to public safety and helping those in need, regardless of the situation," Sapienza said. "Our Officers did an amazing job attempting to de-escalate this incident and then resorting to taking quick action to prevent what would have certainly been serious injury to the individual, despite the risk of injury to themselves. I applaud all involved in this incident for their amazing work in saving a life."

If you or someone you know is in crisis, please call or text 9-8-8. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 across the U.S. to provide free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention, and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.