A Norwalk police lieutenant called the rescue of a distraught man, who was on the precipice of jumping to his death over the holiday weekend, “definitely a team effort.”

It happened on the East Avenue bridge over Interstate 95 Sunday night after a 911 call at 10:33 p.m.

“We received a call very quickly due to some pedestrians who were walking on the bridge from the fireworks,” said Lt. Marc Lepore, supervisor of the department’s Crisis Negotiation Team.

Lepore said patrol officers were first on the scene.

“He was in a very dangerous position. He was over the highway fence on the highway side, standing on a piece of metal,” Lepore explained.

He told News 12 the officers immediately accessed the situation and realized they couldn't sit back and wait for negotiators because “that’s giving him a window to hurt himself.”

Instead, one officer was able to grab onto the man's shirt through the fence while another spoke to him, trying to keep him calm, according to Lepore. He applauded how they didn’t hesitate to act. Lepore and other crisis negotiation officers arrived soon after and continued to talk to the man and distract him while coming up with a plan. Lepore said officers worked together by standing on police cruisers and lifting each other up to get a better hold of the man over the fence, then using leverage.

“We were able to get him up and over the fence, probably six-to-eight officers,” Lepore recalled.

Paramedics then arrived, and the man willingly went with them for further treatment.

“Everything happened very fast, but since our patrol division did such a great job, we were able to bring it to a good conclusion very quickly,” Lepore told News 12.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) to be connected to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org/Talk-To-Someone-Now. Support is free, confidential, and available 24/7.