Man saved after six days on a TV mast in suicide bid

A man who spent almost a week perched on a US TV tower in a suicide bid was successfully talked down by emergency crews.
The drama began last Thursday morning when officers responded to reports of a man trespassing near the 300ft KOTV-DT mast in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

As fragile William Sturdivant was approached by officers, he climbed 150ft up the tower before later descending to 100ft, starting the longest standoff ever for the Tulsa Police Department.

According to police, rock climber Sturdivant, who has a history of mental illness, was given a bottle of water and a mobile phone to start the negotiations.

Bystanders flocked to nearby car parks to watch the drama, though police threatened to take anyone into custody who taunted or tried to provoke the man.

Tulsa Police told Yahoo! News that the 25-year-old battled Oklahoma’s extreme weather, from 100F heat to 60mph gales and rain as he was dressed in shorts, a t-shirt and trainers.

Tulsa Police Spokesman Jason Willingham said there were numerous fears for the man, including hypothermia and starvation. They were also concerned that the man would slip as he perched on a metal platform which was two to three inches wide.

On the second day of the stand-off, he ate a hamburger and fries and drank a bottle of Gatorade. For the remainder of the time on the TV mast, he refused to eat.

Over the six days, multiple negotatiators, family members and chaplains were brought to Sturdivant in an effort to coax him down.

It wasn’t until a retired crisis negotiator from Tulsa Police spent eight hours with the fragile father-of-one which made him think twice about coming down.

At 6.35pm (local time) on Wednesday, Mr Sturdivant got into the lift attached to a Fire Department engine.

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Speaking with Yahoo! News, Officer Willingham said: “He isn’t a criminal, he is quite a spiritual man who has feelings and is really battling mental problems”

He was taken to a hospital for treatment for dehydration and will most likely be transferred to a mental health facility for observation.