Staff Sgt. Keith Whitfield and Sgt. Daniel Mott-Smith of Task Force Outlaw, 5th Armored Brigade, First Army Division West, took immediate action to prevent an El Paso woman from jumping off a bridge March 14. Photo by Staff Sgt. Michael E. Chapman.
Outlaw Soldiers save woman
By Capt. Patrick J. Fry, 5th Armored Bde. Public Affairs
Two California Reserve Soldiers took immediate action to prevent an El Paso woman from jumping off a bridge March 14.
The Soldiers, who belong to Task Force Outlaw from 5th Armored Brigade, First Army Division West, used their Army training to distract the woman preparing to jump from the Fred Wilson overpass until they could get her to safety.
Staff Sgt. Keith Whitfield, a native of Lathrop, Calif., and Sgt. Daniel Mott-Smith, from Dublin, Calif., are mobilized Reservists supporting the post-mobilization training of Reserve and National Guard forces at Camp McGregor, N.M.
While driving on the Fred Wilson overpass near Fort Bliss, Whitfield saw a female with flowers in her hand climbing the railing on the other side of the bridge.
Whitfield said he knew from living in California that people attempting suicide often jump with flowers in their hands.
“There is a bridge in the North Park area of San Diego nicknamed ‘Suicide Bridge,’ due to the high number of suicides off the bridge,” he said.
Whitfield saw the young woman and immediately told Mott-Smith to stop the vehicle so Whitfield could jump out and prevent what he feared was about to happen.
“We just missed being hit by a gray van that was behind us,” Mott-Smith said. “I ran across all the lanes of traffic, shouting at the female and dialing 911 (but) the 911 operator kept cutting out.”
Whitfield said his training in riot control negotiation immediately kicked in.
“I shouted at the woman to break her concentration,” said Whitfield. “Then I kept reassuring the woman as she responded, saying, ‘I need to do this’ and ‘I have no reason to live.’”
Mott-Smith moved his vehicle into a position to prevent any more vehicles from passing through.
“Army training teaches us to work as a team and what tactics to employ – it just becomes second nature,” said Mott-Smith
While the woman focused her attention on Whitfield, Mott-Smith moved in and also tried to engage her in normal conversation.
“We knew she would jump soon because she kept inching toward the edge,” said Mott-Smith. “I moved toward her quickly and snatched her off the railing and to safety.”
Soon after getting the woman off the railing, two more Soldiers stopped to help and loaned a blanket to keep her warm.
“The female was shaking,” said Whitfield. “I kept hold of her to prevent any other attempts and continued talking to her. The entire event was over only a few minutes after noticing the woman.
When asked if any other Army training helped them during the rescue, both Soldiers agreed that being members of the noncommissioned officer corps was a big part of why they stopped.
“As an NCO, it is always your responsibility for immediate action,” Mott-Smith said.
Whitfield said he felt Soldiers are expected to take action in all sorts of uncomfortable situations.
“It was lunch time and there was a lot of traffic, but nobody was stopping,” said Whitfield. “We knew that nobody else was going to do this, so we must.”