Nanaimo RCMP officers are being credited with preventing a distraught 16-year-old female from possibly jumping off the Bastion St Bridge.
According to police, a pedestrian alerted Constable Ross Beisel with Island Traffic Services of a woman who appeared to be preparing to jump off the bridge in downtown Nanaimo around 12:30 am on Sunday.
Beisel was at the bridge within minutes and saw a girl perched precariously on the outside railing, about 25 feet above Terminal Avenue.
Beisel attempted conversation with her and it soon became apparent the teen was intent on harming herself. He then made sure all vehicle traffic and pedestrians were blocked from entering the bridge and passing below.
Over the next hour, he was able to establish a dialogue with her spoke to her about various issues in her life.
During this time, Sgt. Donovan Tait, an RCMP crisis negotiator trained for such incidents, arrived on scene. About an hour later, the officers were able to convince the teen to come off the railing
Gut-wrenching situation
“This was a gut-wrenching situation for everyone involved. Both officers displayed extreme patience and empathy towards the young lady. Most importantly they did everything possible to ensure the incident was resolved successfully and that she did not make a fatal decision. Excellent work by all involved, said Constable Gary O’Brien of the Nanaimo RCMP.
The female was then apprehended under the Mental Health Act and transported to a local hospital for an assessment.
