After five hours of negotiations, a suicidal man was brought to safety on Monday after threatening to harm himself on the California Incline.
At 1:15 p.m. the Santa Monica Police Department responded to a call from a male individual at the Incline who stated he was suicidal.
According to Public Information Officer Rudy Flores, the man armed himself with a kitchen knife, abandoned his car and climbed the Palisades Park bluffs and onto the pedestrian bridge over the Incline where he hung onto the outside of the rail. The incline was currently closed to traffic in both directions, but the PCH remained open.
SMPD's crisis negotiation team responded to the scene and successfully convinced the individual to throw away his knife. LAFD was also on scene and deployed a large inflatable air mattress directly underneath the individual.
At about 6:30 p.m. the individual voluntarily climbed back onto the bridge and the area was reopened to traffic.
If you or someone you know is in distress, help is available. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a certified listener, call 1-800-273-8255.
Clara@smdp.com
