Milwaukee County Sheriff's SWAT Negotiators talk man off bridge

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- Milwaukee County Sheriff's Swat Negotiators were able to talk a man out of jumping off a bridge on Monday morning.

Deputies were dispatched to the State Street Bridge over northbound I-43 between 10th and 11th streets around 10:20 a.m. for a report of a man who was going to jump.

Patrol squads responded to the scene and shut down all I-43 traffic.

The subject, identified as a 40-year-old man, was found hanging onto the fence above the freeway. The MCSO SWAT negotiator arrived on scene and convinced the man to climb back onto the sidewalk side of the bridge. 

"Deputies once again used their verbal negotiating skills to compassionately and safely save the life of a person in crisis. This is what I love to see our deputies doing. Caring about people, serving the people, and protecting the people – this is exactly what I want from the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office. Integrity and compassion matter," Sheriff Richard Schmidt said.

The man told deputies he was hearing voices and the hospital would not help him. He said he wanted to kill himself to make the voices stop. He was taken to a local hospital.

The freeway was re-opened after a ten-minute closure.