Sedona police officers responded to the Midgley Bridge area at 5:53 a.m. Monday, June 2, to assist the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office in locating an individual reported to be threatening suicide.
CCSO received the call at approximately 6 a.m. with a deputy arriving on scene at 6:22 a.m., according to Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer Jon Paxton.Â
Upon the arrival of CCSO deputies, the scene was turned over to the county, with Sedona police officers remaining on scene to assist with securing the area to allow the search. Initial attempts by CCSO and SPD to locate the subject were unsuccessful, Paxton stated.
The victim’s car was located in parking lot with a note, Paxton stated stated. Search and Rescue was requested along with Criminal investigations. SAR and CI arrived at approximately 8 am.Â
The north end of the bridge was cordoned off so search and rescue workers could operate. Extensive Search and investigation of scene were started at this time.
The victim was located deceased north of the bridge at 11:30 a.m., Paxton stated. SAR set up a lift on the bridge and extricated the victim at 4:30 p.m. Coconino County Medical Examiner took custody of the deceased at that time.
The city of Sedona sought help from the Arizona Department of Transportation to install anti-suicide fencing on the bridge after four people committed suicide from the bridge in 2015 and a fifth in 2016 — three women and two men. After working with a nonprofit to add signs carrying the number of a suicide-prevention hotline, ADOT worked with partners to design fencing for the bridge. Anti-suicide 10-foot-tall fencing was installed in December 2016 and January 2017, which is chain-link style and attached to the bridge’s railings, designed to make it difficult to climb. The bridge itself is 240 feet long but the fencing spans a total of 374 feet.
Sedona city limits end at the southern terminus of the bridge; everything north of that point is in the jurisdiction of Coconino County. ADOT owns the bridge itself.
