Man on Sakonnet Bridge subdued after tying noose around neck

Police congregate Monday afternoon on the southbound lanes of the Sakonnet River Bridge, shortly after a man there placed a noose around his neck. Photo by Jim McGaw.

PORTSMOUTH/TIVERTON — A 57-year-old Tiverton man who apparently threatened suicide on the Sakonnet River Bridge was safely subdued Monday afternoon and transported to a hospital for evaluation.

According to Portsmouth Police Detective Lt. Alberto Bucci, police responded to the bridge’s bike path at 1:26 p.m. after receiving multiple calls of a man with a noose around his neck. The man was on the bike path, closer to the Tiverton side of the span.

Patrol Officer Patrick O’Neill, who was in the area, said he observed a man he knew “from previous contact” leaning over a railing. He also saw a large coil of rope on the ground, with one end tied to the railing.

“As I got closer to him I could see he had a noose around his neck,” Officer O’Neill said. “I said, ‘Are you OK?’ And he said he was not OK.”

Officer O’Neill didn’t waste any time.

“It happened very quick,” he said. “I went over and was able to put my arms around him and pull him back. He didn’t struggle.”

A worker from the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority cut the noose from the man’s neck and the Portsmouth Fire Department brought the man to Newport Hospital for evaluation, he said.

“He went willingly,” said Officer O’Neill. “He acknowledged he needed to talk to somebody about what was going on in his life.”