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Watch: Newark Police Pull Suicidal 13-Year-Old From Fire Escape

Two police officers from Newark are being hailed as heroes after they stopped a 13-year-old boy from jumping off  a third story fire escape at a treatment facility, police said. 

Body-cam video shows police in Newark aiding a suicidal teen boy Monday

Body-cam video shows police in Newark aiding a suicidal teen boy Monday

Photo Credit: Newark police

“I commend Sgt. [Antonio] Barbosa and Officer [Shaquille] Johnson for taking the initiative to immediately devise a plan of action that saved this boy’s life,” Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. 

Preservation of a life is always our goal, but it’s clear that these officers exercised exceptional compassion and the care needed to ensure that this frightening scenario had a positive ending.”

The officers were called to Youth Consultation Services, 284 Broadway, around 5 p.m. Monday on a report of a teen who was threatening to jump from a fire escape. He had locked himself into a common area and had made his way out to the fire escape when police arrived (see attached video). 

An officer spoke with the teen, distracting him, while his colleague grabbed the boy and pulled him back into the building. He was taken to University Hospital in Newark for evaluation. 

“In saving this child’s life, these officers exhibited the type of dedication and commitment that the people of the City of Newark can be proud of,” Ambrose said. “I believe we can all applaud them as heroes and as invaluable community guardians.”

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