CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland police officers saved a girl in crisis who was out on the thinning ice of Lake Erie, and rescue mission was caught on camera.
Ofc. Mercer and Ofc. Galewood from the Cleveland Division of Police First District were called to the shore for a female in crisis out Lake Erie as it was frozen on at 3:18 p.m. on Feb. 3.
“Understanding the urgency and potential danger of the situation, officers quickly arrived on scene and safely made contact with the female,” Cleveland police stated.
Bodycam footage showed the girl was sitting down on the frozen lake as officers tried to reassure her that they were here to help.
“You’re not in any trouble!” an officer assured as they approached. “We just got to talk to you.”
Girl rescued off of icy Lake Erie by Cleveland police: caught on camera
But as officers stepped onto the ice, bodycam footage showed the girl get up try to run away further north from the shoreline and officers.
“Frozen lakes are very dangerous and unpredictable. Ice does not freeze over uniformly across the lake and may crack without warning.
Officers recognized they were in a dangerous position and had to make a split-second decision to quickly bring her to safety and did not have the opportunity to wait for additional resources.”
“As officers responded, they experienced that this person might be experiencing some type of crisis,” said Sgt. Freddy Diaz of Cleveland Police. “As they started to analyze the situation, they realized the individual in crisis decided to run further into the lake, which obviously poses a danger to the officers.”
Officers swiftly caught up to the girl in distress, calmly directing her to stop, and told her again that she is not in any trouble.
“I’m Ofc. Galewood. We want to help you, all right? You’re not in trouble. You’re not in any trouble. You’re not going to go to jail or nothing, okay?” he said as they reached the girl.
“What’s going on? Will you talk to us?,” an officer asked as the girl held back tears. “You’re not in trouble. Well, your not in trouble. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“With care and compassion, officers were able to escort her off the ice and back to shore,” police stated.
Cleveland EMS also arrived on scene to bring the girl to the hospital for further evaluation and support, according to police.
Police emphasize crisis resources available
“This incident serves as an important reminder that help is available. If you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis, you are not alone.
Call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, to connect with trained counselors 24 hours a day.
In an emergency, always call 911.
“Often times this could be a little bit taboo to ask for help, and the division has been trying to work on messaging to get out there to individuals that are in crisis,” Diaz said. “There is some hope. There is some help for them.”
Ice conditions becoming more dangerous
Police are warning that warming temperatures and melting snow are making the ice on Lake Erie increasingly unstable and dangerous.
“Walking on the ice during this particular time, even though it may seem safe because the ice is frozen — ice doesn’t freeze over easily,” Diaz said. “So it’s a very high risk, and that’s also a reminder for our community that despite ice being frozen, it’s just not safe.”
Both Cleveland police and the Coast Guard urge everyone to stay off the ice.
No ice is safe ice, the Coast Guard said. Even if it looks solid, warming temperatures can make ice dangerously deceptive.
Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.