Man On Bridge Had Called Inquirer

Yesterday, a man (armed with a toy gun he said was real) shut down the Walt Whitman bridge for three hours during rush hour. While he and his girlfriend with a litany of crimes, everything was handled without any violent incident, fortunately.

Today both 35-year-old John Reed and 31-year-old Monica Hayman are under medical observation. And, what do you know, earlier this week Reed was looking for help at the Inquirer:

Reed called the Inquirer’s South Jersey bureau on Tuesday complaining that his family was being threatened. He claimed he had contacted several law enforcement agencies but none would assist him.

“He seemed like a nice guy actually,” said an editor who took the call. Though he didn’t clearly articulate what the threats were, he said his phone and email had been “compromised.”

So, can we call the Inquirer for our emergency calls? Are they this “311″ I’ve been hearing so much about?

One Armed Man Loose In Philadelphia

Don’t read ahead if you don’t like spoilers:

The panicked driver faced a difficult choice: a ticket, or possibly worse - from a New Jersey state trooper who had chased him with siren wailing onto the Walt Whitman Bridge - or a plunge into the murky waters of the Delaware River 100 feet below. He jumped.

Just wait ’til he climbs out of the water and goes to find the one-armed man who actually killed his wife.

Driver chased by cop jumps off Whitman [Daily News]