A police officer has died after he saved several people who were drowning in the water off of a private beach in Alabama. Baldwin County Sheriff's Deputies William Smith and Sydney Wentworth responded to the call and found three swimmers who were in distress.
Both deputies immediately dove into the water and found themselves getting pulled into deeper water because of the strong rip current. The United States Coast Guard also responded to the distress call and helped pull the two officers and the swimmers out of the water.
Smith was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Wentworth was also hospitalized but was released on Monday (June 7). The distressed swimmers, who were not identified, were expected to survive.
"Deputy Smith's brave and swift response to save the life of another should cause us all to pause and reflect upon the sacrifice of all law enforcement," Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement. "We can never repay Deputy Smith for putting the life of a potential victim ahead of his own. Tonight, we offer our prayers to Deputy Smith's family and his friends and colleagues in the Baldwin County Sheriff's Office."
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