Man down safely after climbing to top of Walnut Street Bridge

Chattanooga police respond to the Walnut Street Bridge where they said a person had climbed on top of the bridge supports on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.
Chattanooga police respond to the Walnut Street Bridge where they said a person had climbed on top of the bridge supports on Tuesday, June 19, 2018.
photo Staff photo by Doug Strickland / A man sits atop the support structure of the Walnut Street Bridge on Tuesday, June 19, 2018, in Chattanooga, Tenn. The man climbed back down to police below after about twenty minutes atop the bridge.

Chattanooga police confirmed Tuesday that they responded to a man who had climbed to the top of the Walnut Street Bridge. Around 8:20 p.m., he had climbed down to responders and appeared to be safely back on the surface of the bridge.

Around 8 p.m., responders radioed to dispatch that they were in need of a ladder. "He wants to talk, but we have no way to get up there," one responder said.

Police had closed off both sides of the bridge with yellow tape.

Police described the man as "despondent" and said he would be taken to a local hospital for an evaluation.

The climber could be seen at one point from the Market Street bridge standing on top of the girders, waving his arms. He later sat down and appeared to be communicating with responders.

Shortly thereafter, he climbed down off the bridge supports.

This is a developing story. Stay with the Times Free Press for more information.

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