NJ Transit Police Officer Victor Ortiz is being hailed as hero, just days after risking his own life to pull a man off train tracks a second before a train barreled through.

NJ Transit has released surveillance video of Ortiz in his determination to pull the struggling man from the tracks at the Secaucus Junction train station. Original footage of the dramatic rescue rescue was caught on video and obtained exclusively by New Jersey 101.5 Saturday.

According to NJ Transit police, Ortiz responded to a commuter train on a report of the man having a confrontation. When the officer arrived, Transit officials say the man ran away. Ortiz chased him on the station platform and then along the tracks before the troubled man planted himself on the tracks.

"Officer Ortiz, without regard for his own safety, was determined to save the individual’s life even as the man struggled against the officer’s efforts to pull him out of harm’s way," NJ Transit said in a statement.

The man has not been identified. Ortiz is a 16-year-veteran of the NJ Transit Police Department, officials said.

"Officer Ortiz’s selfless and heroic actions demonstrated a level of bravery and a true sense of compassion and purpose that often goes unrecognized but is ever present in our law enforcement community," NJ Transit officials said Sunday.

Sergio Bichao contributed to this report.

Toniann Antonelli is a social content producer for NJ 101.5. She can be reached at toniann.antonelli@townsquaremedia.com, or on Twitter @ToniRadio1015.

 

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