MSP helicopter's night vision camera leads to Detroit river rescue

A dramatic rescue in the icy Detroit River at Chene Park. Michigan State Police troopers saved a young man's life after a wild chase on the city's east side.

The entire incident was caught on 'night-vision' camera from the MSP helicopter Wednesday night.

It was a stressful situation for state and Detroit police - and a potentially deadly one - for a 25-year-old man driving erratically on Detroit's east side.

"Detroit had received information from this individual's either loved one or their mom that he may have been suicidal," said Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw.

After that call to Detroit police, state troopers used night vision cameras inside their "Trooper Two" chopper tracking the driver's every move.

"They heard they had been involved in pursuit, so our helicopter went over the area to look for the vehicle they had lost," Shaw said.

The man could be seen running traffic signs, rolling through intersections and open fields.

The helicopter followed the driver and relayed messages to Detroit police, later noticing the man cutting through Chene Park toward the water.

With Detroit police in pursuit and Michigan State Police above, the man parked his car then ran into the Detroit River and jumped in.

State troopers lit the scene from above as officers below, pulled him to safety.

"If we wouldn't have found him at the very beginning when Detroit police lost him in their pursuit," Shaw said. "Maybe we would have had a different outcome."

Shaw said this is just one way that Trooper Two can be used in the air six days a week ready to aid state and local police.