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Mounties talk teen down from bridge

Nanaimo RCMP members credited with preventing 16-year-old from jumping from Bastion Street bridge
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Nanaimo RCMP officers are being credited with preventing a distraught teen from jumping off a local bridge. (WAYNE FEAVER photo)

Nanaimo RCMP officers are being credited with preventing a distraught teen from jumping off a local bridge.

According to police, the incident started at approximately 12:30 a.m. Sunday when a pedestrian alerted Const. Ross Beisel with Island Traffic Services to a woman who appeared to be preparing to jump off the Bastion Street bridge in downtown Nanaimo. Beisel reached the location and saw a girl perched precariously on the outside railing, about eight metres above Terminal Avenue.

Beisel attempted conversing with her and it soon became apparent the 16-year-old was intent on harming herself. Beisel then made sure the bridge and Terminal Avenue were blocked to vehicle traffic and pedestrians.

Over the next hour he spoke with her about various issues in her life and was able to establish a dialogue with her.

During this time, Sgt. Donovan Tait, an RCMP crisis negotiator trained for such incidents, arrived and after an hour the officers were able to convince the teen to come off the railing. She was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and transported to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for assessment.

“This was a gut-wrenching situation for everyone involved,” Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said in a press release. “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.”