Yesterday a Vietnam war veteran shut down turn pike traffic for hours while sitting on the ledge of an exit ramp bridge threatening to take his own life.
WTVJ reports 59-year-old Fredy Gutierrez asked to speak to Willard Shepard, himself a veteran and a Gulf War fighter pilot. On his way to the police command center Shepard was able to talk to Gutierrez trough a police negotiator. “I spoke to him in military terms, telling him that the Air Force jets were on the way to provide the Army close air support – a reference to war scenarios where the Army ground troops can no longer fend off an enemy attack,”. Shepard told Gutierez to wait for him until he arrived at the scene. Gutierrez agreed and eventually surrendered to police.
Story from WTVJ last night:
[Video: Suicidal Veteran Asks Police Negotiators to Speak With NBC 6’s Willard Shepard ]
God bless this tortured soul.