Police aide, officer hailed as heroes for rescuing suicidal man

MILWAUKEE -- A Milwaukee police aide and officer are being hailed as heroes for helping a suicidal man get to safety.

Officials say Police Aide Alberto Figueroa was on his way home from his shift on Thursday, November 1st when he noticed a man climbing onto the Lloyd St. bridge over Highway 41.

Figueroa apparently began talking with the man who was standing on a six-inch ledge on the outside of the bridge's fence and learned he was suicidal. 

Figueroa then apparently parked his car and approached the fence from the other side. He grabbed the man's jacket while talking with him and called 911.

Police Officer Hector Claudio and other officers arrived and also began talking with the man. After one point, the man apparently let go of the fence in order to fall -- but because the officers were holding onto him, he did not.

Figueroa and Claudio each continued to talk with the man even as firefighters raised a ladder to him. Eventually, the firefighters were able to get hold of the man and bring him to safety.

Family members of the man say he had been depressed lately and was suffering from mental issues. He was not hurt in this incident