Teen rescued after jumping from bridge in Mount Holly

MOUNT HOLLY, N.C. — Police in Mount Holly were quick to rescue a child who jumped into the Catawba River from Highway 27 early Wednesday.

It happened around 7 a.m., according to Mount Holly Police Chief Brian Reagan. Officers were called to the Highway 27 bridge and found a juvenile “had jumped into the water from the bridge and was in immediate distress.”

Channel 9′s Ken Lemon spoke with some of the officers who assisted with that rescue.

Officers said they saw a 16-year-old standing on the bridge before jumping and wasted no time trying to help.

They began throwing bags from their cars to try and rescue the juvenile from the water. This gesture allowed the juvenile to get close to the shore.

Corporal Robbie Burchfield, officer John Delany, and officer Nathaniel Ramirez then jumped into the water to save the child.

“He never swam before in his life. It was first time thing for him,” Burchfield said.

Reagan said their quick actions played a critical role in the rescue.

“Your training kicks in. You do what you are trained to do all the time,” Burchfield said. “That’s part of the job. You sign up for that. Every day you are going to go out, put yourself in situations that most people wouldn’t to help those people.”

It’s still not clear what led to the teen jumping into the river.

The child was rescued, and a spokesperson said they’re expected to recover from the jump.

The victim wasn’t identified.

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