A veteran New York Police Department detective known for his role in a high-profile 2003 tiger rescue has recently helped prevent a woman from jumping off a pier along the Hudson River. Emergency Service Unit Detective Marty Duffy, with nearly 30 years of service, and his partner, John Medina, intervened after responding to a 911 call on October 6 about a woman threatening to end her life on a pier near West 125th Street.

Upon arrival, Medina engaged the woman in conversation, learning she was feeling suicidal and claimed that a divine message was urging her to kill herself. Duffy approached cautiously, attempting to establish rapport despite strong winds that made communication difficult. When the woman momentarily looked away, Duffy saw an opportunity and signaled to his partner before physically restraining her. Together, the officers lifted her over the railing to safety, just as she reached into her pocket.

The officers handed the woman over to additional police units that had arrived on the scene. Duffy emphasized the importance of quick judgment and seizing any chance to save a life during such emergencies. "You have to use critical thinking and decide, ‘If a chance arises to save her life, we have to take that chance,’” he said.

Duffy first gained public attention in 2003 as part of the response team to a call involving a 425-pound tiger inside an East Harlem apartment. Officers were dispatched to the Drew Hamilton Houses after the tiger’s owner, Antoinne Yates, was admitted to a hospital with injuries initially described as a dog bite. Upon further investigation, hospital staff suspected a different cause, prompting police to search the building.

To locate the tiger, officers cut holes in walls of adjacent apartments and devised a plan to monitor the animal’s movements from outside. Duffy was lowered to various locations around the building during nighttime operations before the tiger, named Ming, was safely removed. Ming was later transferred to an animal sanctuary in Ohio, where he lived until his death from natural causes in 2019.

Duffy, who was relatively new to the Emergency Service Unit at the time of the tiger incident, downplays his role in the case but remains known for his calm and effective crisis management skills. His recent intervention at the Hudson River pier further underscores his experience in handling delicate situations involving individuals in distress.