Video shows arrest of shirtless man who climbed George Washington Bridge tower
FORT LEE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A man was arrested after scaling to the top of the George Washington Bridge to apparently commit suicide Friday, an ordeal that caused a traffic gridlock during the morning rush.
Police said the man -- later identified as 54-year-old Alberto Hernandez of East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania -- was wearing jeans and no shirt when he climbed to the top of the south tower of the bridge on the New Jersey side at about 8 a.m. Police believe he parked his car and then started climbing.
The incident prompted authorities to shut down the upper level of the bridge in both directions.
The NYPD posted photos of Hernandez when he close to the edge of the tower, and even leaning over at one point:
But the officers were able to talk him down, and he was taken into custody just before 9 a.m.
The NYPD captured this video of the takedown:
Traffic reopened on the upper level of the bridge about an hour later.
Hernandez was taken to the hospital for observation.
