Norristown police officer hailed a hero for Schuylkill River rescue of father and daughter

A Norristown police officer has been hailed a hero after saving a young girl and her father from drowning over the holiday weekend.

Their vehicle accelerated into the water off a boat ramp and as it quickly began to sink, the girl shouted she didn't know how to swim. That's when Officer Edward Butterworth immediately jumped into action.

At a press conference Thursday afternoon, Norristown police went into great detail about the heroic water rescue in the Schuylkill River at Riverfront Park on Labor Day.

"Just knew we had a serious situation in front of us," Officer Matthew Walsh said. "We didn't have much time to take action."

Officer Walsh witnessed a pickup truck drive into the Schuylkill River.

The truck plunged into the river at the Riverfront Park, and one brave officer risked his life and went in after it.

"I just acted, that's it," Officer Butterworth said. "Saw the sheer panic and fear in her eyes, and then finding out that she didn't know how to swim."

The daring heroics were all captured on officers' bodycams.

When he was asked how he felt following his officer's water rescue, Acting Chief Michael Bishop answered this way.

"Almost Twenty three years here in this department, they never stop making me proud," he said.

As for Officer Butterworth, the hero in this situation, he expressed his gratitude to all in the community who have reached out since Monday. As a father of two himself, he's just happy that the frightened 12-year-old girl is back at home, safe and sound.

"It's a child, a kid," Butterworth said. "Her dad gets to tuck her in now. She's safe, and that's a good thing."