Heroic Rescue on the Harlem River
On Tuesday, three NYPD officers rescued a teenage girl from the icy waters of the Harlem River in a dramatic incident captured on camera. One of the officers expressed, “Nothing mattered except getting her out of the water.”
Officers Ankit Gupta, Wilmer Guerrero, and Shuaibul Amin were commended for their swift action after a young girl jumped into the frigid water, apparently attempting suicide, only to later regret her decision.
“Someone needed help. This is what we signed up for; we’re here to help. And that’s exactly what we did,” Guerrero remarked.
Body camera footage shows Guerrero stripping off most of his clothes and diving in to save the girl while his colleagues prepared to pull them both out of the river near 142nd Street.
“It was definitely a cold plunge, and I froze. But at that moment, nothing mattered except getting her out of the water. I got over it quickly,” he recalled on Thursday, reflecting on the rescue.
Guerrero detailed how he grabbed the girl by her sweater and shoulders, swimming toward the shore despite her panic. “I was having a really hard time because she was panicking, but I just stayed calm and offered her encouragement that we would make it through,” he said.
This intense situation began when authorities received reports of a girl in distress, poised to jump off Harlem River Drive. As nearby officers raced to the scene, she jumped into the river fully clothed, crying out for help.
Guerrero jumped in as another officer shouted, “Can you swim?” Within moments, he reached her and began bringing her back to safety.
Body camera footage also showed Gupta and Amin removing some gear in preparation, ready in case they needed to dive in as well.
Once the emergency team arrived, the girl was wrapped in a blanket and taken to the hospital, remaining conscious throughout the ordeal.
“I truly hope this girl is given a second chance, as this situation could have ended very differently,” Guerrero said.
All three officers, who work at the 32nd Precinct, have been on the force for less than four years. This marked their first water rescue, a significant milestone in their careers.
“I’m really glad we were all there together. We worked as a team to give her a second chance,” said Amin, adding, “It’s fulfilling to save someone. That’s why we joined the force, right?”
