A man jumped off the Steel Bridge in Portland this morning as officers arrived on the scene. He died later after unsuccessful attempts to resuscitate him.
Portland police officers responded to the Steel Bridge about 7 a.m. Thursday after a 911 call reported that a man was on the north side, tying a rope to the bridge. The caller said he appeared to be swallowing pills and drinking whiskey.
As officers arrived to talk with the man, he put the rope around his neck and jumped off the bridge. The rope broke and the man went into the Willamette River. Firefighters located the man in the river and transported him to Station 21 where attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful. The deceased appears to be a 40- to 50-year-old male.
The Oregon State Medical Examiner will conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death and will work to identify him and notify family.
