(Photo added 5:43 pm, part of SPD/SFD response at marina)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 4:36 PM: Heads-up since it’s evening commute: A Seattle Fire “water rescue response” is headed for the southbound 1st Avenue South Bridge. We don’t know exactly how it’ll affect the bridge/surface road(s) yet, nor any other details – stand by for updates.
4:39 PM: SFD tweets, “Fireboat and rescue swimmers responding to 1st Ave. S. Bridge for someone who jumped off of bridge into water. Crews are investigating to see if person in water is in distress.” First crews are arriving at scene.
4:42 PM: Per radio communication, the rescue response is relocating to the West Seattle low bridge and railroad-trestle bridge after clarifying where the person was seen.
4:46 PM: Also per radio communication, the person has been located by a Coast Guard boat but is “refusing assistance.”
4:57 PM: Continuing to monitor radio discussion – the person in the water is described as a woman around 30 years old and they’re still working to get her onto the rescue boat.
5:05 PM: It’s now becoming something of a standoff with police radioing that the woman in the water “brandished a knife.”
5:31 PM: We’re at the marina nearest the scene; the boats involved have moved further south down the Duwamish. The first radio exchange we’ve heard in a while indicates the woman is now on one of the fireboats.
5:51 PM: We’ve confirmed with responders at the marina that the woman’s out of the water. An ambulance crew is waiting at the dock.
6:09 PM: She’s been brought ashore and transferred to medics. Also docked: Responders including divers, rescue swimmers, and a U.S. Coast Guard vessel that’s leaving again.
6:15 PM: The woman was still visibly combative as she was brought ashore to be taken to the hospital. This is ultimately, responders tell us, a “person in crisis” situation. They’re wrapping up here now.
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