Atlantic City officers stop man from jumping off parking garage ledge | Frontline Heroes

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (WPVI) -- A quick-thinking Atlantic City police officer helped prevent a man in emotional distress from jumping off the top floor of a parking garage, newly-released body camera video shows.

Officer Kyle Bender said the man was sitting on the ledge drinking alcohol when officers arrived.

"He stated that if he saw any police or EMS that he was going to jump," Bender said.

Bender and other officers devised a plan to approach the man without being seen.

"Officer Murray was the most senior guy. So, he decided that we were to have a plan. Our plan was just a snatch and grab him. Come right behind him and see us and just grab him and get him off that ledge," Bender said.

The officers parked out of sight and rushed the man from behind, pulling him to safety.

"With people in a mental health crisis? You never know what they're going to do," Bender said.

"I could feel for him. He was feeling very, like, emotional at that time. We were just trying to reassure him as much as we could to make sure that he wasn't trying to throw us over with him. It seemed once we got hold of him, we kind of talked him down a little bit," he said.

Bender credited his training as a police officer and his experience as a former Marine with two overseas deployments.

"I mean I'm here to do a job. I sign up to do it," he said.

Anyone in crisis or who knows someone in need can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.