A police officer died in an incident while attempting to save an individual who had called for help.
The incident occurred near downtown Easley, South Carolina during the early hours of Wednesday.
Around 5 am, authorities received a distress call from an individual on the train tracks, who was experiencing a mental health crisis.
Officer Matthew Hare, 22, along with his partner, promptly responded to the call and rushed to the scene to offer assistance.
Roughly an hour later, the officers located the distressed person. However, during the rescue attempt, Officer Hare was struck by an Amtrak train, which resulted in his death.
The exact circumstances leading to the collision remain unclear. Easley Police Lt. Ashley Anderson mentioned during a news conference that Officer Hare “died saving the life of someone he did not know,” highlighting his heroic actions.
Officer Hare’s partner and the distressed individual were unharmed during the incident. The person was taken into custody, but further details about their identity, reason for detention, or any potential charges have not been disclosed by investigators.
The incident caused disruptions to Amtrak’s Crescent train service, which operates between New York and New Orleans, resulting in nearly a seven-hour delay. No passengers or crew members aboard the train were harmed.