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5 Freeway reopens after possibly suicidal man is taken into custody

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The 5 Freeway was reopening Friday night after being shut down in East Los Angeles for more than three hours after a possibly suicidal man refused to leave the ledge of an overpass.

“He’s in custody. We’re opening up traffic lanes again,” said California Highway Patrol dispatcher Heather McCrary.

The CHP received calls about 3:40 p.m. about suspicious activity involving a possible jumper on the freeway overpass near Olympic Boulevard, and all lanes were shut down on both sides about 10 minutes later, authorities said.

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Lanes began reopening about 7:15 p.m.

The backup of Southern California’s key north-south route caused ripple effects across the region, also affecting the southbound 101 from the San Fernando Valley and the northbound 710 from Long Beach.

Sgt. R. Laflin of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said crisis negotiators were brought in to talk to the man. Television footage showed the county Fire Department’s deployment of two giant yellow inflatable air cushions below the ledge in case the man fell.

Follow me on Twitter: @ronlin

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