Who is David Brosonski? Heroic New Jersey cop rescues 11-year-old boy from icy lake in viral video

Patrolman David Brosonski is making headlines for taking a plunge into a frosty lake at his own risk to save an 11-year-old boy who had fallen through the ice of Franklin Lake.

The West Long Branch patrolman was acting on reports coming from Franklin Lake in the borough. He reached at 2:41 p.m., only to find the child struggling in the middle of the lake, a press release from the department states. Brosonski, who is skilled in water rescue, tied a rope around himself and went straight in.

At the time of writing, not much is known about David Brosonski, save for the fact that he has been training as an instructor with the Monmouth County Police Academy for water rescue for well over 17 years. However, this was his first time putting his skills to the test.

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David Brosonski jumps into ice-cold waters to save a boy at the risk of catching hypothermia: Here's what we know about the incident so far

As reported by People Magazine, West Long Branch Emergency Medical Services said the boy, whose name remains unknown, was trying to cross Franklin Lane to get home faster. He was alone, walking home from school.

"As the ice began to crack beneath his feet, he fell through. The lake, only 6 feet deep, allowed him to stand, but the icy water quickly sapped his strength," the agency said.

As reported by Asbury Park Press, the boy had managed to walk about 75 yards in, having started from the south side of the lake, before he fell. At the time, the weather was partly cloudy and clocked in at 49 degrees. David Brosonski, who was dressed in civilian clothing, had no gear but a rope to help him come back to shore.

The water was a cool 35 degrees and was covered in 4 thick inches of ice. According to Asbury Park Press, in such conditions, it only takes minutes for the effects of hypothermia to take root.

People Magazine reported that Brosonski, a water rescue instructor at the Monmouth County Police Academy, said during Tuesday's press conference,

"The only thing going through my mind was, 'I'm going to get to this kid, give him the help he needed and bring him back in."

According to the official Facebook post from the West Long Branch Police,

"Without hesitation, Ptl. Brosonski entered the frigid water and successfully rescued the 11-year-old boy."

They also expressed their "deep gratefulness" for the officer's quick and heroic actions, as well as for the community members who immediately let the authorities know about the situation.

"I feel it was my job. I would have gone in no matter what for anyone, whether I was working or not working," said Brosonski, per the Asbury Park Press.

According to Police Magazine, he also revealed that he "really didn't feel the cold," noting that his "focus was on the boy that was out in the lake."

Bodycam footage depicting the situation has been going viral online, and in it, David Brosonski can be heard asking for onlookers if they "had rope on them." He then drops the body camera and heads straight for the water, from which the boy could be heard screaming. "I'm coming," he asserted.

The video then shows David Brosonski hauling the boy out of the water and asking bystanders if they had any jackets or blankets.

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The 11-year-old was taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure, though Police Magazine has reported that he was unharmed.