NYPD Officers Rescue Distressed Hawk From East River

A couple of eagle-eyed NYPD officers are being credited with rescuing a hawk that was in distress in the East River.

NYPD Special Operations said in a tweet a pair of officers assigned to the harbor unit rescued a distressed hawk from the river on Sunday. 

According to the NYPD, the raptor was spotted flapping its wings around in the water near the Brooklyn Bridge. One of the officers in the boat, Christopher Kessinger, reached into the water and the hawk grabbed onto his arm. He pulled the officer into the boat and dried the bird off with the help of his partner, Steven Khaykin. 

The hawk jumped onto Kessinger's arm after they dried it off, staying there for several minutes.

"He was just hanging out," Kessinger said. "He calmed down and knew we were not going to hurt him."

The bird then flew off, heading towards Battery Park.

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