Crime & Safety

This Cop Prevented A Suicide-By-Train

Subject rescued in the nick of time. She had been deliberately waiting, arms spread wide, in the path of an onrushing Amtrak train on Davis Street near Alvarado Street.

(Editor's note: When this story originally appeared on December 6, we did not have a picture of the officer who risked his life to save another. He recently received a commendation from the city at which time Patch took this snapshot. The original story is reprinted below.)

A suicide was narrowly averted on Friday, December 2, when a San Leandro police officer wrestled a woman away from an oncoming Amtrak train.

According to a police, it was shortly after noon on Friday when Patrolman Josh Brum spotted a woman standing on the train tracks about 70 yards south of Davis Street in the shadow of the downtown BART station

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

As he looked closer Brum realized that a southbound Amtrak train was rapidly approaching. But rather than get off the tracks, the woman just stood in its path with her arms spread out.

Brum quickly got out of his patrol car and ran toward the woman, yelling at her to get off the tracks. She ignored him and continued to stand in the train's path.

Find out what's happening in San Leandrowith free, real-time updates from Patch.

He grabbed her as she struggled  to remain on the tracks. But he gained control and pulled her away to safety.

Police Department spokesman Sgt. Ted Henderson said Officer Brum recalled that as he and the woman tumbled to the ground he felt the rush of wind from the passing train.

"It was that close," Henderson said.

The woman, who turned out to be a 40-year-old San Leandro resident, was determined to be suicidal and detained for an emergency psychiatric evaluation. 

   

 


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