Man jumps off Chestnut bridge

A man jumped off the Chestnut Street bridge into the Schuylkill River Thursday night, and was on life support at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania as of early Friday morning. University Police Capt. John Richardson described the individual -- who was not carrying any identification -- as a balding, 5-foot, 8-inch tall white man, between 40 to 45 years old with a medium build and a mustache. He added that the man was not affiliated with the University "as far as we know." HUP spokesperson Katherine Hankins said she did not know the man's current condition, explaining that without knowing his name she could not track a specific patient. The Philadelphia Fire Department's Heavy Rescue unit pulled the man from the water at approximately 11:45 p.m. and transported him to HUP, police said. An employee in the 30th Street Post Office witnessed the man jump into the river shortly before 11:30 p.m., and then ran inside to call police. Philadelphia Police officers were first to arrive on the scene, followed shortly by University Police officers who heard reports of the incident via city police radio communications. In an unrelated incident at approximately 12:10 a.m. Friday, several Philadelphia and University Police officers reported hearing gunshots on 40th Street between Chestnut and Market streets. No injuries were reported. Bystanders at the scene said the shots came from a white van. Richardson said police discovered two shell casings -- which appeared to have been fired from a nine-millimeter handgun -- at the scene. Police have made no arrests. The shots were heard as far away as 40th and Locust streets, police said. University Police and the city's Southwest Detectives Bureau are investigating the incident.

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