NYPD Officer Rescues Suicidal Man From Water off Battery Park

FINANCIAL DISTRICT, NY — An NYPD officer spent the night in the hospital after jumping into the water off Battery Park to rescue a suicidal man from drowning.

Police officer Rajub Bhowmik, and his partner Ismael Mercedes, responded at 1:19 a.m. on Sunday after they were alerted a man was in the water off 50 Battery Place, police said. Bhowmik took off his gun belt and jumped into the water to keep the 49-year-old man afloat in what police said was apparently a suicide attempt. NYPD's Harbor Unit responded and pulled the suicidal man to shore, while officers on land helped Bhowmik out of the water.

The man was taken to North Cove Marina and then transported to Bellevue Hospital for treatment and evaluation, according to police. Bhowmik was taken to New York University Downtown Hospital only for precautionary reasons.

This is actually the second time in less than a month first responders have pulled someone from the water in the same general area off Battery Park. On Aug. 24, a Queens man died after a failed rescue attempt by the FDNY near the Museum of Jewish Heritage.

Photo Credit: North Cove Marina by Harvey Barrison via Flickr/Creative Commons