Group Of Strangers Saves Suicidal Woman In St. Paul
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A woman attempting to commit suicide from the Dale Street Bridge over Interstate 94 was saved by a diverse group of community residents and St. Paul Police.
The effort at 7:30 p.m. Monday night to save the 23-year-old Native American woman was captured on video. Residents held on to her clothing through a chain-link fence until police and residents with wire cutters arrived.
Both community members and officers say the incident is all the more remarkable because of what happened at the exact same location just over three weeks ago, where a riot left 21 officers injured and resulted in 100 arrests.
This time, everyone was on the same side in an effort that, as one witness said, shows all lives matter.
The video shows the emotion and drama as the woman dangles off of the Dale Street Bridge and citizens and police struggle to keep her from falling onto the eastbound lanes of I-94. Finally St. Paul officers cut a hole in the chain-link fence and the group pulls her through.
William Boursaw, who lives in the area, was one of the first to spot the woman climbing onto the bridge.
"I ran across the street and grabbed her t-shirt and held her, but she broke my grip," he said. "I tried to talk her down and some other people started coming."
Several people rushed to grab construction barrels to block traffic on the busy highway below. Kelando Roberts, who also lives in the area, was one of those who ran across the bridge and grabbed the woman. He said the woman kept saying she wanted to jump.
"She said she didn't want to live," he said. "The other police officer came real quick, and we had a grip on her. We got the majority of this off and we slid her out."
It was a moment of unity and selflessness at the very bridge were protesters hurled rocks at police just three weeks ago.
"I believe this was a great time to show our work together, side-by-side with our citizens," Sgt. Mike Ernster of the St. Paul Police said.
It was a moment not lost on the ordinary heroes who stepped in to save a life.
"I think all lives matter, no matter what race she is," Roberts said. "I mean, we came together as a community to help somebody."
There hasn't been an update on the young woman -- authorities will only say she was taken to a local hospital.