Updated: A man in his mid-30s jumped from the Aurora Bridge this morning (Monday) despite the best efforts of police and fire to talk him down. Officers arrived at 7:15 a.m., closing southbound lanes and creating long delays. The man jumped just before 9:30 a.m. Rescue crews attempted to resuscitate him, and he was rushed to the hospital. There’s no word if he survived.
As you know, a plan is in the works to install an 8-foot suicide fence along the bridge. WSDOT has held public meetings to work toward a mutually-agreeable design (that’s one of the early proposals above), and the state legislature is slated to consider $5.9 million in construction funding during the next session. If it stays on schedule, installation will begin in early 2010. More than 40 people have jumped to their death from the bridge in the last decade — the suicide place of choice in Western Washington.
Update: The Stranger has a photo of the person clinging to the side of the bridge moments before he jumped. (Don’t click if you don’t want to see it.) The Stranger says many people witnessed him fall.
8 responses so far ↓
1 Sheila // Nov 3, 2008 at 11:25 am
I just heard that he did jump. The sooner we get the netting the better for all.
2 candice. // Nov 3, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Wow. I drove by there on my way to work at 8 and was pretty sure there was a jumper since there was about 15 police vehicles and no accident. Can you imagine being one of the cops trying to help this guy and watching him just give up?!
Man, I don’t envy them any.
3 Robb // Nov 3, 2008 at 12:22 pm
That’s the second time in a week - there were a bunch of patrol cars there Friday night around 10:00 too. I’m still amazed it’s taken this long to even think about putting up a barrier.
4 Beth // Nov 3, 2008 at 1:46 pm
Commenters on the P-I article are reporting that the man, in his mid-30s, didn’t make it.
5 Beth // Nov 3, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Err, a second article in the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008344852_webbridge03m.html
6 kim // Nov 3, 2008 at 4:00 pm
candice,
next time you see a cop, thank them for doing what they do. i too cannot imagine choosing that profession.
7 club penguin // Jun 27, 2009 at 6:47 pm
I drove by there on my way to work at 8 and was pretty sure there was a jumper since there was about 15 police vehicles and no accident. Can you imagine being one of the cops trying to help this guy and watching him just give up?!
8 club penguin // Jun 27, 2009 at 8:47 pm
I drove by there on my way to work at 8 and was pretty sure there was a jumper since there was about 15 police vehicles and no accident. Can you imagine being one of the cops trying to help this guy and watching him just give up?!
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