WATCH: Officer talks young man out of jumping off bridge

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (TMX) — A law enforcement officer in Florida is being hailed as a hero for talking a young man off a bridge before he could take his own life earlier this month.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office said District 2 and District 6 patrol officers responded to the top of the Dames Point Bridge on April 12, where a man was standing, ready to jump.

“Whatever you’re going through, man, you can get through it,” officer Antonio Richardson can be heard saying in body-worn camera video shared by the sheriff’s office.

“C’mon, let’s talk about it a minute,” Richardson continues, before reaching out his hand. “Can I at least have a prayer with you? Do you mind if I just hold your hand and pray with you?”

The man initially declines, but Richardson keeps talking.

“You’re hurting, but if you jump, you’re going to hurt other people,” Richardson says. “It’ll ruin them.”

Richardson reaches out his hand again, and this time, the man takes it, stepping off the ledge. Richardson immediately pulls the man into a tight hug.

“In that moment, our officers weren’t the police. They were just people showing how much they care for another person. Thankfully, the young man decided to take Officer Richardson’s hand and step off the bridge,” the sheriff’s office said. “We are here for you. We care about you. We do what we do every day because we care about you.”