Pacific County Sheriff's Deputy and Long Beach Police Officer Respond to Water Rescue at Port of Ilwaco

Ilwaco, WA - On the evening of November 9, 2024, Pacific County Sheriff's Deputy Piper Rutzer and Long Beach Police Officer A. Natsiopoulos responded to a call concerning a suicidal individual at the Port of Ilwaco. The caller reported that they intended to drown themselves.

Deputy Rutzer and Officer Natsiopoulos arrived on the scene and located the individual unresponsive in the water. Demonstrating incredible courage and quick thinking, Deputy Rutzer immediately entered the water and grabbed hold of the individual while Officer Natsiopoulos assisted in pulling both Deputy Rutzer and the individual back onto the docks.

"Both Deputy Rutzer and Officer Natsiopoulos demonstrated exceptional bravery and teamwork in this rescue," said Chief Criminal Deputy Randy Wiegardt. "They saw someone in trouble and took immediate action to help. That's the kind of dedication we value in our law enforcement, and we're proud to have them serving our community."

A short clip of Deputy Rutzer's body camera footage will be posted with this release. The footage shows her and Officer Natsiopoulos arriving in the area and running to the docks. As Deputy Rutzer sheds her gear to enter the water, the camera, which was attached to her gear, did not capture the actual rescue but did catch audio of Deputy Rutzer jumping into the frigid water to make the rescue.

The individual was safely removed from the water and received immediate medical attention. They were then transported to a nearby hospital for further evaluation and treatment.

The Pacific County Sheriff's Office would like to remind everyone that help is available for those struggling with suicidal thoughts. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please reach out to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 or the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.