Video: Deputies pull suicidal teen from bridge in Pico Rivera


PICO RIVERA >> Two quick-thinking deputies grabbed hold of a distraught teenage girl who was poised to jump from a train bridge in Pico Rivera on Tuesday, officials said.
The incident began shortly after 11 a.m. p.m. near Rivera Road and Passons Boulevard, Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials said.
Deputies Cuauhtemoc Gonzalez, Michael Stocz, Brandon Longoria and Daniel Padilla responded to a report of a young woman possible preparing to jump from the bridge when they encountered the girl, “Who was leaning over a 25-foot drop to the street below,” Lt. Alex Villanueva said in a written statement. Gonzalez blocked traffic in the area as Stocz and Longoria approached the troubled teen from one side of the bridge, while Padilla approached from the other.
The young woman perched precariously on the outside of the safety railing.
“After waiting for a train to pass, deputies Stocz and Longoria approached, asking her if they could move closer to talk to her,’ Villanueva said.
After getting within about 50 feet of the distraught teen, Stocz began speaking with her. They talked for about 10 minutes, and the girl relayed she was suicidal due to the recent death of a close friend.
After young woman tossed a piece of paper onto the railroad tracks, later determined to be a suicide note, Stocz asked her for permission to read the note, and she agreed, allowing him an opportunity to move within a few feet of her.
“At this point, the young woman had her arms fully extended, eyes closed and her face was looking upwards,” Villanueva said. “Deputy Stocz lunged forward and grabbed both of her arms. Deputy Longoria moved quickly to assist Deputy Stocz, and they were able to pull her over the railing and on to the ground, where she was detained. “
Officials took the teen to receive help at an area hospital.
The incident was captured on the dash cam of a patrol car.
Sheriff’ Jim McDonnell praised the deputies for their actions.
“Every day, our deputies perform acts of quiet courage and compassion that are rarely seen and almost never captured on video,” he said. “This is a positive reminder of the commitment that law enforcement makes every day to save the lives of others”.

VIDEO courtesy of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

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