Michigan State Police and Truckers Join Forces to Prevent Bridge Suicide Attempt

In the early morning hours of April 24, 2018, Michigan State Police orchestrated a remarkable rescue operation on Interstate 696 in the Detroit suburb of Huntington Woods. Around 1 a.m., 911 callers reported a man standing on the edge of an overpass, apparently contemplating suicide.

First Lieutenant Mike Shaw and other officers responding to the scene made a quick decision that potentially saved a life. They closed both directions of the busy interstate and implemented an unusual but effective safety measure – enlisting semi-truck drivers to line up beneath the overpass.

“Most of the time these events are resolved pretty fast, so we only get one semi,” Shaw told CNN in an interview after the incident. This time was different. Troopers intercepted big rigs exiting the highway and redirected them to park beneath the overpass, creating a safety net of steel and rubber.

Thirteen semi-trucks eventually parked side-by-side across all lanes of I-696, carefully positioning themselves to minimize gaps between vehicles. The strategy was clear – should the man fall or jump, he would drop only five to six feet onto a truck roof rather than 14 feet to the concrete below.

What followed was a three-hour negotiation between police and the distressed man. Officers worked to identify the triggering factors behind his crisis and offered assistance. “We were able to convince him that this was not the right thing to do, and we were able to get him to a local hospital where he is getting the help that he needs,” Shaw explained.

The dramatic scene was captured in photographs that later circulated widely on social media. Michigan State Police shared an image on their official X (formerly Twitter) account showing the trucks lined up beneath the bridge, with a mosaic effect applied to protect the identity of the man on the overpass.

The incident gained renewed attention in October 2025 when social media users began sharing the story with certain inaccuracies. These posts typically included a dramatized narrative claiming the person on the bridge was a woman and attributing fabricated quotes to Lt. Shaw.

“The story being shared is a bit exaggerated,” Shaw told Snopes in a recent email. He confirmed the core facts of the incident but clarified that the person involved was a man, not a woman as claimed in viral posts. Shaw also noted that a quote attributed to him in these posts – “They didn’t do it for recognition. They didn’t do it for thanks. They did it because it was the right thing to do” – was fabricated.

Local and national media outlets covered the incident extensively in April 2018. The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, and CNN all reported on the successful intervention, highlighting the cooperation between law enforcement and civilian truck drivers.

The collaborative effort represents an innovative approach to suicide prevention. By creating a physical barrier to reduce the potential for fatal injury, officers bought crucial time for negotiators to connect with the man in crisis.

For Lt. Shaw, the focus should remain on the man who chose life that day. “In that picture somewhere is somebody that was contemplating ending their own life,” he told CNN. “We want that to be the story – not what Michigan State Police did or what the truckers did, but that the person changed their own mind.”

The incident highlights the complex challenges facing first responders when addressing mental health crises and the importance of quick thinking and community cooperation during emergencies. It also serves as a reminder of the critical work performed by crisis intervention specialists who help individuals navigate their darkest moments.

If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, help is available 24/7 through the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing or texting 988.