JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Several photos of a suicidal woman atop the Dames Point Bridge and officers seemingly aiming rifles at her have been circulating by e-mail, leaving many Jacksonville residents asking questions about how the situation was handled.

Public Asks Why Rifles Pointed At Woman Atop Bridge

As officers tried to talk the woman down, the bridge was shut down for hours during rush-hour traffic, causing major backups and making many drivers wonder what was going on.

After the e-mail with pictures of the incident began circulating, the question about the traffic mess was answered; but another question came up -- why did the SWAT officers on the bridge appear to have their weapons pointed at a woman who was threatening to jump?

“I was concerned they were they actually going to shoot the young lady on the bridge,” said Ivy Burks, one of several people who received the e-mail.

She said her heart goes out to the woman, but she was very concerned by the photos.

“I was surprised to see why they were there. Were they going to shoot her down? Why where they there? Were they going to talk her down?” Burks said.

Burks was not alone in her questions. Channel 4 has received several copies of the same e-mail that Burks found in her inbox, suggesting police were told to “shoot the woman and take her out.”

“That is ridiculous. We respond, the SWAT teams respond and the negotiators respond. Our mission is to save lives,” said Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Lt. Mike Williams after being shown the e-mail and pictures.

JSO said they routinely send SWAT teams on suicide calls, but they don't go alone. They said there were negotiators and a command post.

Police said what appears to be officers aiming guns at the woman were actually officers keeping her in sight.

“The optics they use are on top of rifles. Those are functional rifles, but again at no time was she in any danger of being shot. At no time was that part of any decision making process with JSO or the SWAT team,” Williams said.

Police said the other reason a SWAT team was on the Dames Point Bridge was because they had no idea whether the woman was armed with a gun or bomb and if she was a threat to them or anyone near the bridge.

That’s why police said the officers were armed.

“It’s incredibly challenging situation with the traffic what it was, but in no way is that traffic disruption outweigh her life. So we are going to do everything we can to talk her down and peacefully end the situation,” Williams said.

Unfortunately, the efforts to talk the woman down failed; SWAT team and negotiators were close when the woman jumped from the bridge. Her body was recovered on Monday.

“Shooting her off the bridge was never an option,” Williams said.