Hartford cop grabs man about to jump from Constitution Plaza walkway

After Officer Jimmy Barrett snatched a man from a ledge over a busy street Monday afternoon, the guy kept saying, “You shoulda’ let me go. You shoulda’ let me die,’ ” the veteran cop said.

“I said, ‘Not today. We’re gonna get you some help,’ ” Barrett, who was patrolling on a bicycle, said after his adrenaline had subsided to a near normal level.

The call came in at about 1 p.m. – a suicidal man at 200 Columbus Boulevard. Barrett, a city cop since 2003, raced to the site on his bike and was the first officer to arrive at the Constitution Plaza walkway. A man had climbed over the walkway’s glass barrier and was squatting on a narrow ledge, Barrett said.

“Just as he was jumping, I was grabbing him,” he said. “I lifted him back over and pinned him to the ground.”

Two bystanders helped Barrett hold the man until other officers arrived. Medics placed the man on a stretcher for a trip to the hospital and a mental health evaluation. The guy was angry about being rescued, Barrett said, but he also asked Barrett if he was OK.

“I gave him my business card and I told him, ‘You’ll always have a friend. We’ll get through this together,’ ” Barrett said.

Jesse Leavenworth can be reached at jleavenworth@courant.com