Officer jumps in Neuse River to save person in distress, 2 others rescued

KNIGHTDALE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Three people were rescued from the Neuse River Saturday afternoon.

According to Town of Knightdale officials, emergency crews responded to calls about three people who were stranded in the Neuse River near Raleigh Beach. While preparing for the rescue, officials said a Raleigh Police officer went into the water and rescued one of the victims.

Shortly after, the Knightdale Fire Department Swiftwater Rescue team was able to rescue the other two victims safely

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Aidan Salvatore and Jesse Gentili have lived at the nearby Loch Raven Pointe apartments for several years -- taking a front-row seat to the danger the popular swimming spot has posed -- including four drownings in the last 3 months -- and two in a one-week span in late July.

"It doesn't matter how many times people put up signs you know, people still come down here and it's starting to put a lot of people in danger," Salvatore said.

He said he's used the beach before but realized how strong the current is there and hasn't been back since. Gentili said it feels like an emergency response in the area is becoming an every week ordeal.

"It's like every single weekend they have news reporters here, and I'm like, oh, I wonder what happened now," Gentili said.

The three swimmers stranded in the river were taken to Wake Med for treatment but are expected to make a full recovery.

ABC11 reached out to RPD to learn more about the officer who went into the water to save the swimmer, but the department said he was not being made available for interviews on Saturday.

Meantime, local residents say enough is enough.

"There's a lot of drownings happening here. And, you know, I hate to see people get hurt," Salvatore said.