Beverly Police Pull Despondent Woman From Bridge

BEVERLY, MA — Two Beverly police officers pulled a woman who appeared to be "distraught and suicidal" from the Veterans Memorial Bridge over the Danvers River just after 10 p.m. Friday.

The woman did not respond to pleas from the officers, according to Beverly police department news release, and continued to inch towards the edge of the bridge. Officers Ryan Hegarty and Justin Shairs grabbed the 53-year-old Beverly woman and pulled her to safety.

The woman, who was not identified, was taken to Beverly Hospital following the incident for evaluation. "Even after being rescued, the female refused to communicate with officers," Beverly police said.

Hegarty and Shairs received commendations for "their quick action to grab her and risk their safety," Beverly police said. Salem police officers also responded to the incident. The bridge spans both cities.

Dave Copeland covers Beverly and other North Shore communities for Patch. He can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).