Texas Police Use Extension Cord to Rescue Distressed Man from Ledge

Texas police improvised with an extension cord to save a distressed man dangling from a fourth story ledge of a parking structure Monday.

The rescue happened shortly after 8:30 a.m. when Beaumont police responded to a hospital concerning a person in mental health crisis who was making suicidal threats, the department stated on social media. When officers arrived, they quickly found the man on the fourth floor of a parking garage as he climbed onto a ledge and threatened to jump. 

Officers began calmly speaking with him, trying to de-escalate the situation and bring the man to safety. A police hostage negotiator also was called in to help.

The man eventually climbed over the ledge and began dangling from the fourth floor following a long conversation with police. Officers immediately grabbed the man by the arms to stop him from falling. 

That's when another officer found an extension cord and secured the man. Officers then used the cord to pull the man back over to the ledge to safety. 

"We are incredibly proud of our officers for their quick response, teamwork, patience, and compassion during a highly stressful situation," the department stated. "Their actions prevented a tragedy and reflect our commitment at BPD to treat mental health crises with care, understanding, and professionalism—while keeping everyone safe."