An Illinois police department is praising three officers who entered frigid waters to save a toddler and two adults trapped inside a sinking car.
The incident unfolded Jan. 2, but newly released bodycam footage — described by the New York Post as “jaw-dropping” — sheds more light on cops’ quick-thinking actions.
The incident unfolded in Naperville, Illinois, when a woman, man, and 2-year-old child were inside an SUV that crashed into a local pond around 1 p.m., WGN-TV reported.
“From the radio call, we knew there was a baby in the water, but we didn’t know of any other occupants,” Commander Michaus Williams of the Naperville Police Department told the outlet, noting the officers got in the water and smashed the window to rescue those inside.
Fortunately, what could have been a dangerous scenario ended with no one suffering any major injuries.
“Luckily, they’re OK,” Williams said. “Cars can be replaced; people can’t. So, it ended up well for everybody involved.”
As for the officers, witness Robert Gross told WGN-TV they were heroes.
“Those officers were heroes. [They] didn’t stop to think,” he said. “They just ran into that cold water.”
The Naperville Police Department put out a separate statement along with bodycam footage this week, praising the cops for their demeanor during the ordeal.
“Their ability to remain calm and do what needed to be done to help the frantic family is commendable!” it read.