While Saving 1 Suicidal Man, Police Also Rescue 3 In Capsized Boat: PD

SOUTHOLD, NY — Police officers saved four people during two separate incidents while out on a call Tuesday night, authorities said.

According to Southold Town Police, officers responded at 6:04 p.m. to a man reporting his son was suicidal at a home on Ruch Lane. Responding officers were told that the son had a handgun and would reportedly shoot police and then himself, authorities said.

Officers established a perimeter and had neighbors shelter in place, police said.

The son then climbed a tree and threatened to hang himself; officers attempted to get him to climb down and seek treatment but he refused and eventually tied a rope around his neck and stepped off the limb he was standing on, police said.

Officers were able to quickly climb 16 feet up the tree to the man and support him, so that he did not asphyxiate, police said.

The Suffolk County Police Department's emergency services section officers and Southold Fire Department personnel responded and helped to getting the semi-conscious man out of the tree, police said. He was transported by ambulance to Southold Town Beach for medical evacuation and to be brought by Suffolk County aviation to Stony Brook University Hospital, police said.

Next, while the SCPD helicopter was responding to medevac the injured, suicidal man, a boat about 200 yards offshore at Town Beach capsized, sending three people into the water, police said.

The helicopter was able to drop an inflatable tube to the three in the water for them to hold on to until rescued by a Southold Fire Department vessel; the three were examined by EMTs at the scene and released, police said.

Suffolk County aviation landed to continue transporting the man to the hospital for treatment, police said.