"Let's talk. What's going on?" Milwaukee police officer saves 2 people on verge of suicide within 2 weeks
“Let`s talk. What`s going on?” Milwaukee police officer saves 2 people on verge of suicide within 2 weeks
"Let`s talk. What`s going on?" Milwaukee police officer saves 2 people on verge of suicide within 2 weeks
MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee police officer rushed to rescue a young man on the verge of committing suicide. She knew exactly what to do, because she had been in this situation before.
On Sunday morning, July 10th, Milwaukee Police Officer Katie Anderer and her partner rushed to the 35th Street Viaduct.
35th Street Viaduct
"The man was sitting on the viaduct with his feet over the edge hanging onto the pole and he kept kind of sitting up like he was ready to jump," Anderer said.
Katie Anderer
A crowd of people had gathered in the area -- calling for the man to step away from the ledge, but he wouldn't move.
"He was sad. He didn't want to live anymore," Anderer said.
25-year-old Anderer knew exactly what to do.
"I think I'm kind of comforting. I came in -- 'hi. My name's Katie. Let's talk. What's going on?' And he responded quite well to it," Anderer said.
While she talked with the man, her partner gave him a bear hug and pulled him off the bridge.
35th Street Viaduct
He was taken to the Milwaukee County Mental Health Complex for an evaluation.
"You never want to be the one to stand there and watch a person go over the bridge," Anderer said.
35th Street Viaduct
This was the second recent incident involving a suicidal person Anderer has responded to.
"I've had two of these in the past two-and-a-half weeks," Anderer said.
Katie Anderer
In June, Anderer saved a suicidal woman from jumping off the very same bridge.
Anderer said she has received Crisis Intervention Training, and credits that training to her success in both scenarios.
"It's training where you learn how the person that has mental illness reacts to their mental illness -- so you're able to kind of be in their shoes to help them along the way," Anderer said.
All officers within the Milwaukee Police Department will undergo this training that Anderer says has been so helpful for her in preventing both of these possible suicides.
35th Street Viaduct