Indian River County sheriff's deputies successfully ended a two-hour standoff on the 17th Street Bridge in Vero Beach after talking a man wanted for burglary back from the edge. Deputies were called to the bridge on Sunday, August 2, after receiving information that a man wanted on a Port St. Lucie Police Department warrant for burglary with battery had contacted his mother and made concerning statements.
Deputies located the man on top of the 17th Street Bridge after he climbed over the railing and threatened to jump. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office Crisis Negotiation Team spent about two hours talking with him while the Marine Unit launched a boat below the bridge. Fire Rescue also staged nearby as a safety precaution.
Body camera footage shows negotiators working to keep the man talking and convince him to come back over the railing. The man said he was worried about going to jail and the financial burden his family could face. Negotiators continued talking with him, eventually learning that he enjoyed playing video games. As the conversation continued, deputies told him his mother was heading to the base of the bridge.
The man eventually agreed to climb back over the railing. Body camera footage shows deputies encouraging him as he grabbed a ladder and climbed back onto the bridge. The man was then taken into custody without incident. The Indian River County Sheriff's Office released the body camera footage along with information about the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which can be reached by calling or texting 988.