Police video captures dramatic rescue

This dramatic video shows a police officer rescuing a woman who tried to jump off a bridge in Wichita, Kansas, on June 17

WICHITA, Kansas (CNN) -- Police patrol car cameras have captured the dramatic rescue of a woman who jumped off a bridge in Wichita, Kansas.

Sedgwick County Deputy Robert Burkhead had been called to the Arkansas River Bridge on Sunday after a woman was reported acting suspiciously on a bridge.

Burkhead parked his patrol car with its camera pointed toward the woman, who told him she was considering jumping off the bridge.

Burkhead grabbed the woman's shirt as she suddenly leaped, but the force of her jump pulled him after her. He narrowly grabbed onto the edge and could not keep holding on. He did, however, manage to direct her 35- foot-leap into a safer area of the river, possibly saving her life.

VIDEO CNN's Leon Harris interviews police Deputy Robert Burkhead, who dramatically rescued a woman who jumped off a bridge (June 20) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)   CNN ACCESS Officer describes catching woman jumping off bridge

"After a short conversation with her, she just turned around, acted like she was going to get back in her (car) and made a beeline for the edge of the bridge," Burkhead told CNN. "I tried to intercept her and just barely caught her before she made the leap.

"So she did end up going in the water, but I was able to swing her to an area, luckily, of deeper water.

"My left arm was on the bridge and my right arm was holding her. Another officer on scene ... and my civilian observer ... pulled me up over the bridge then ran down and pulled her out of the water," Burkhead said.

The woman wasn't seriously injured, but was admitted to a hospital for observation.