Man Atop Bridge Holds Police at Bay 10 Hours

A man threatening to jump off a bridge kept police at bay for more than 10 hours Tuesday, creating a massive traffic tie-up and delays for commuters heading to the Long Beach Naval Shipyard.

Lt. Robert Forbes said the man may have climbed to the top of the Gerald Desmond Bridge as early as 2 a.m., when his car was found at the base of the bridge and towed away. Police did not discover that the man was atop the bridge until they were notified by shipyard employees.

The man, believed to be in his late 20s, had made a number of undisclosed demands but had not asked for any food or drink, Forbes said. He had climbed to a position about 300 feet above the water. Ocean Boulevard, which feeds into the bridge from the west and east, was blocked off. Forbes said motorists were forced to find alternative routes to the shipyard as well as a Navy base.