Jamie Lehane and Sandra Oxx Bridge jumping is a relatively rare occurrence, but not in Newport County and not in the past couple of months. Three people lost their lives jumping off Newport County bridges and 27 lost their lives in the past nine years. When it comes to suicide in the U.S., the most common means is by firearms, which accounts for about 55% of the suicide deaths, followed by suffocation, poisoning and jumping. It may seem obvious to anyone who lives in Newport County as to why a person would contemplate jumping off a bridge. Bridges are everywhere. They are convenient and link our islands together. The paradox is that people around here don’t enjoy crossing bridges. They prefer to stay put, and yet they may consider jumping off the bridge, if distraught enough.