SOUTHERN SHORES, N.C. (WAVY) — A man accidentally drowned Thursday night after police say he jumped in the water to try and rescue a 12-year-old boy, who had been pulled out to sea along with two others.
Southern Shores police said officers were called to the area of Pelican Watch — north of the Hilton Gardens Hotel and Kitty Hawk Pier — just before 8:15 p.m. for a water rescue.
Police said three males — ages 19, 14 and 12 — had gone out swimming in the ocean from the pier. Rough currents pulled the three of them 75 yards out in the water in a northerly direction.
The boys started screaming for help, with the 12-year-old being pulled out even further.
Kenny Ray Gooch, 32, who was the boyfriend of their mother, immediately went in the ocean to try and rescue the 12-year-old. Two other bystanders also entered the water.
Police said Gooch was pulled out even further than the boy, and disappeared from sight.
The 19 and 14-year-old boys made it back to shore on their own, while the two bystanders helped rescue the 12-year-old, police said.
Emergency responders arrived on scene and helped locate Gooch, who was unresponsive. Rescuers and Dare County EMS attempted CPR measures before Gooch was pronounced dead at the scene.
“I heard screaming out in the waters. ‘Help! Help! He’s under!’ So we started looking and you could see multiple people in the water pretty far out,” said Julia Haferman from Harrisburg, N.C. who was visiting the beach at the time of the incident. She was one of many witnesses who called 911.
Witnesses tell 10 On Your Side they saw Gooch jump into the water and swim towards to the 12-year-old, who was the farthest out in the ocean.
10 On Your Side’s Kayla Gaskins spoke with one of the other men who jumped into to help save the boys. He says Gooch kept the boy above water long enough for others to reach him and safely get him to shore.
While all the boys got out safe, Gooch did not. “I watched his head come up and down out of the water for about four or five minutes and then he disappeared,” said the man, who wished to remain anonymous.
