Local commuters were ensnarled in a major traffic jam last Thursday morning after a man threatened to jump from a very high bridge over Center Hill Lake. On Thursday, September 9, 2021, at 4:32 A.M., the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department received a call of a possible suicidal male wanting to jump off the Sligo Bridge on Highway 70 in the eastern part of the county.

Just seven minutes later deputies arrived on scene and came into contact with a middle age male standing on the bridge. As officers attempted to talk to the individual, he became very irritated and emotional, and stepped up onto the ledge of the bridge.

Deputies notified the Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency, and the DeKalb Rescue Squad, to be on standby under the bridge and in the area as a precaution.  This caused Highway 70 (Sparta Highway) to be shut down for approximately two and a half hours.

Several Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers were also on scene to help deputies take the male individual safely into custody. He was then transported to the Ascension Saint Thomas DeKalb Hospital ER for a mental evaluation.

Ironically the incident occurred during National Suicide Prevention Week (NSPW) and Suicide Prevention Month in DeKalb County. Suicide Prevention Week is an annual week-long campaign in the United States to inform and engage health professionals and the general public about suicide prevention and warning signs of suicide.

As part of the campaign, health organizations conduct depression screenings, including self-administrated and online tests, and refer interested individuals to a national toll-free telephone number 1-800-273-8255.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.

Just last week, the Mayors of Smithville and of DeKalb County signed a proclamation declaring September as Suicide Prevention Month.  

The proclamation reads as follows:

WHEREAS, suicide is one of the most disruptive and tragic events a family and a community can experience, with more than 1100 lives lost in Tennessee each year and an estimated 25 attempted suicides for each suicide death; and  

WHEREAS, suicide is the 9th-leading cause of all deaths in Tennessee, the second-leading cause of death among youth ages of 10 to 14 as well as young adults ages 25-34 and the third leading cause for children ages 15-24; and

WHEREAS, more than three lives a day are lost to suicide in Tennessee, which means we lose 21 Tennesseans each week and 97 people per month; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee veterans, active-duty military, and National Guardsmen face a disproportionate risk as compared to the general population, with more dying from suicide than combat; and

WHEREAS, public awareness of this tragic problem is the key to preventing further suffering and loss of life; and the risk for human self-destruction can be reduced through awareness, education and treatment as the highest risk for suicide is among the survivors of those who died by suicide or those who have attempted suicide; and

WHEREAS, suicide prevention has been declared a state priority by the Governor; and the Tennessee Legislature has declared teen suicide prevention as a state priority in partnership with the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network to implement the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention; and

WHEREAS, Tennessee is a national leader in the effort to prevent suicide, being one of the first states to develop a suicide prevention and evaluation plan covering the lifespan; and

WHEREAS, the Governor of Tennessee has appointed a Suicide Prevention Network Advisory Council to coordinate the implementation of the Tennessee Strategy for Suicide Prevention; and

WHEREAS, the Tennessee Suicide Prevention Network is a grassroots collaboration of Tennesseans and organizations working to eliminate the stigma of suicide, educate the community about the warning signs of suicide, and ultimately reduce the rate of suicide in our state; and

WHEREAS, every member of our community should understand that throughout life’s struggles we all need occasional reminder that we are all silently fighting our own battles; and

WHEREAS, we encourage all Tennesseans to take the time to inquire as to the wellbeing of their family, friends, and to genuinely convey their appreciation for their existence by any gesture they deem appropriate.  A simple phone call, message, handshake, or hug can go a long way towards helping someone realize that suicide is not the answer; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Tim Stribling, Mayor of DeKalb County, and I, Josh Miller, Mayor of Smithville, do hereby proclaim September 2021, as SUICIDE PREVENTION AWARENESS MONTH in Smithville and DeKalb County, Tennessee, and do urge all citizens to work to prevent suicide and to raise awareness and tolerance around all people affected by this tragedy.

The DeKalb Sheriff’s Department would like to thank the Tennessee Department of Transportation, TWRA, the DeKalb Rescue Squad, E-911 Central Dispatch, and the Tennessee Highway Patrol for their assistance in this incident.

Again, the National Suicide Prevention hotline is a toll-free telephone number, 1-800-273-8255.