Body cam footage shows Florida deputies save man on busy interstate overpass

Screenshot from the HCSO video

​A Florida sheriff deputy is getting praise on social media after saving the life of a man in extreme distress.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office’s X account, on October 4, deputies witnessed a man standing on the edge of an overpass on Interstate 275 in Tampa. Although what the man was suffering from wasn’t disclosed, the deputy made contact with the distressed man, compassionately trying to talk him off of the edge of the overpass as cars whirled past.

Dash cam footage caught the interaction unfolding, which was later shared on the organization's X profile.

Eventually, the deputy was able to talk the man off of the edge of the overpass, saving his life.

“This impactful encounter underscores the importance of mental health awareness,” Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister wrote on X. “It takes expertise and a colossal heart to do what these deputies did.”

​The comment section was filled with heartfelt appreciation for the deputies. “Our officers are so much more than what they are given credit for or at times even judged for,” one commenter wrote, which earned a reply from the sheriff’s department.

As for the man in distress, he was taken to a local hospital.

Contact the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay at 211 if you, or someone you know, is experiencing a mental crisis.
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Article by Kareem Gantt