A man jumped from the Guy West pedestrian bridge over the American River with a noose around his neck but was saved when cut down by a passerby.

A witness saw the man jump about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday from the bridge that spans the river between Sacramento State and University Avenue. The male passerby told officers that he had tried to dissuade the man from jumping to no avail.

When the man jumped, the witness ran to the bridge railing. He then cut the rope that was tied to the bridge at one end and around the man’s neck at the other.