NY NY - Thomas Medlin, 15, Stony Brook, 9 Jan 2026 *last seen on Manhattan same day*

[investikater]

Here's a short video of Thomas's last known location on the Manhattan Bridge. Sorry for the shaky phone footage, but I think it gives a decent overview of what the pedestrian path is like on the bridge.

Bravo that was absolutely brilliant! I wasn't expecting anything like that.
You have a real talent. Please consider doing more videos for other cases.
(You could maybe even do it professionally like the people who do pardon plea videos.)

 

[investikater]

Well that's all pretty depressing considering this very sad situation. I'm glad there's something, but it seems more could be done. JMO.

Here's a short video of Thomas's last known location on the Manhattan Bridge. Sorry for the shaky phone footage, but I think it gives a decent overview of what the pedestrian path is like on the bridge.

Maybe Thomas can inspire some updates to the bridge. I wonder how often people are disappearing from it in its current state?

 

[investikater]

"The original pedestrian walkway on the west side of the bridge was reopened in June 2001, having been closed for 20 years.[277]"

Manhattan Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cyclists and Walkers Regain a Bridge (Published 2001)

www.nytimes.com

"After rubble was found in Brooklyn Bridge Park under the Brooklyn approach in 2018, Skanska was given a contract to repair parts of the bridge at a cost of $75.9 million. The renovation was scheduled to finish in early 2021. The work entailed replacing some fencing, installing some new steel beams on the spans, and refurbishing ornamental elements on the towers.[287]"

Manhattan Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

$80M in additional repairs planned for 109-year-old Manhattan Bridge | 6sqft

The announcement of the latest rehab project comes a few months after fallen debris from the bridge was found in a section of the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

www.6sqft.com

"Skanska will replace and refurbish ornamental cast iron pieces of the bridge’s two towers, replace underdeck arch brackets, replace fence paneling from the Brooklyn to Manhattan approaches, and repair the structural steel beams on the main span and approaches."

 

[investikater]

"The original pedestrian walkway on the west side of the bridge was reopened in June 2001, having been closed for 20 years.[277]"

Manhattan Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Cyclists and Walkers Regain a Bridge (Published 2001)

www.nytimes.com

"After rubble was found in Brooklyn Bridge Park under the Brooklyn approach in 2018, Skanska was given a contract to repair parts of the bridge at a cost of $75.9 million. The renovation was scheduled to finish in early 2021. The work entailed replacing some fencing, installing some new steel beams on the spans, and refurbishing ornamental elements on the towers.[287]"

Manhattan Bridge - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

$80M in additional repairs planned for 109-year-old Manhattan Bridge | 6sqft

The announcement of the latest rehab project comes a few months after fallen debris from the bridge was found in a section of the Brooklyn Bridge Park.

www.6sqft.com

"Skanska will replace and refurbish ornamental cast iron pieces of the bridge’s two towers, replace underdeck arch brackets, replace fence paneling from the Brooklyn to Manhattan approaches, and repair the structural steel beams on the main span and approaches."

Did all that damage occur in 5 years?!

 

[Lisbeth_S]

Here's a short video of Thomas's last known location on the Manhattan Bridge. Sorry for the shaky phone footage, but I think it gives a decent overview of what the pedestrian path is like on the bridge.

Great video @warp3dwing!
I assume it was quite dark when Thomas is supposedly at the bridge (7:09pm) since the sun set at 4:46pm in NY on that day, and probably quite deserted.
I can imagine how Thomas would be able to jump the fence without no one seeing him.

I still think that a splash in the water is not enough to assume the worst, but the fact that his phone last pinged at 7:09, a minute before the splash is quite ominous.

I have an issue with the phone though: it was reported at the beginning that it was found in lower Manhattan. If the phone last pinged at 7:09pm and the splash was heard at 7:10pm this means that Thomas would have to turn off his phone, leave it somewhere then go up the bridge and jump in less than 1 minute.
The only way this would work is if he left the phone on the bridge where he jumped and the location that has generally been reported as "lower Manhattan" is actually the bridge itself. And if this is the case and it was so clear to police that everything fits with him having jumped, why not just say it?

One other thing, is he not seen on camera because the location he potentially jumped from is a blind spot or because it's too dark to see?
I would think that if they have so many jumpers on that bridge, the cameras would cover the whole of it.