Kalamazoo, USA – Police officers responded Wednesday, January 14, 2026, after a fisherman fell through thin ice on a local lake, prompting a technical rescue.

At approximately 11:39 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 3700 block of Greenleaf Circle, where a 63-year-old man was found about 100 yards offshore, submerged up to his shoulders in icy water and clinging to unstable ice.

Unsafe ice conditions initially prevented officers from reaching him. Members of the department’s specialized Squad 6 arrived wearing cold-water rescue gear, enabling them to safely enter the lake.

EO Tech Aaron DeWaal secured a life preserver around the fisherman while Sgt. Melinda Moore maintained communication from shore. Officers on the bank then helped pull both DeWaal and the fisherman to safety.

Once on land, the fisherman was placed on a rescue stretcher and transported by ambulance to a local hospital. He is expected to make a full recovery.

Following the rescue, DeWaal visited the hospital, where the fisherman expressed deep gratitude for the lifesaving efforts. Officers reminded residents that ice conditions can change quickly and urged extreme caution on frozen lakes.

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