Caught On Video: NYPD Officers, Good Samaritans Rescue Passenger From Tracks Moments Before Subway Arrives
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - Dramatic video released by the NYPD shows a rescue at a subway station in the Bronx.
As CBS2's Andrea Grymes reports, the video shows a 60-year-old man face down on the subway tracks and the light of an oncoming train getting brighter at the end of the tunnel.
"It was literally one minute away," NYPD Officer Ludin Lopez said. "I just saw somebody who needed my help and I reacted. I wasn't even thinking."
The video shows Lopez jumping down onto the tracks and carefully stepping around the electric third rail as his training kicked in to help the unconscious rider.
Seconds later, a good Samaritan followed suit.
"He was, like, not responding, so I did everything I could to help him up and thankfully this gentleman, I don't know who he is, but if he were here, I would shake his hand. He helped me get the gentleman back onto the platform," Lopez said.
In the meantime, another officer ran to the end of the platform, signaling with his flashlight for the train to slow down.
Two other cops helped pulled the rider, the officer and the good Samaritan up onto the platform as witnesses cheered. The train rolled in with literally seconds to spare.
"First off, I'm looking at him like he's crazy, but I'm glad he was so brave enough to go down there then," NYPD Officer Catherine Cabon-Bailon said. "I knew he was well capable of lifting himself up, but something just told me, just grab him, you know. I didn't want him to fall back and hit the third rail or something."
The incident happened Wednesday afternoon on the southbound 2/5 platform at the 149th Street-Third Avenue station.
Police say the rider had fainted and fell, and the officers just happened to be in the right place at the right time to save a life.
"It just made me feel like, like this is what I came here to do, and I felt very fulfilled by that," Lopez said.
Lopez says he's grateful for those cheers from the public who witnessed his heroism and grateful that the man who fainted will be OK.
