COLUMBIA — Four Howard County police officers are credited with saving a man's life when he attempted to jump off a ledge at a parking garage.
This took place earlier in September in Columbia.
The man who attempted to jump was on the top of the parking garage, which was the 9th floor.
The officers got their just in the nick of time.
Officers received a call about a suicidal subject on the top of a parking garage in Columbia.
Officer Jonathan Amaya arrived and started canvassing the area. He was on the first floor, when he saw the man hanging from the ledge on the ninth floor.
Officers Chris Omesh and Eric England were the first two officers to make it to the ninth floor.
Initially, the goal was to talk to the man. However, they realized they did not have time to talk.
The man was attempting the jump. The two men ran to him and grabbed him and brought him to the ground.
And then officer Lucas Ely helped to make sure the man was secure.
It was his job to transport him to the hospital.
Officer Ely says he wanted to start the healing process with the man to let him know that people cared for him.
All the officers are grateful they were able to save someone's life.
"At one point he just did not want to communicate. He threw his legs over the ledge. Officer Omesh was coming off of the side, and at that point, we just started running to him and we grabbed him just before he fell off of the ledge," said England.
"I want to become a police officer to save someone's life and i'm more than fortunate enough to be able to do that. I just hope for the better for the person," said Omesh.
Officer Lucas Ely has checked in with the nurses at the hospital since that morning.
He has heard that he is doing well.
Howard County has several resources to help people are struggling with mental health.
For more information, you can visit https://www.howardcountymd.gov/health/behavioral-health.
