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The Lakeview Learning Center student jumped off the Market Street bridge in front of his father shortly before 6:30 p.m., responders said.
Two city police officers, showing no regard for their own safety, jumped right in after him.
"We were trying to help him," a ranking officer told Daily Voice. "He jumped in, so we went in to try and rescue him. It's such a tragedy."
Sgt. Robert Cancel and Officer Paul Zapata waded through waist-high mud trying to find the boy after jumping in, Passaic Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said.
“They did everything they could to try and save him," said Lora, who sat on a curb with his arm around the boy's father as the search continued. "He had all of the potential in the world but battled mental illness."
Lora remained with the family for several hours once the rescue became a lengthy recovery operation.
The body was recovered around 9 p.m.
Several agencies converged on the area -- among them, dive teams from various jurisdictions, as well as local police and sheriff's officers from Bergen and Passaic counties and New Jersey State Police.
The body was turned over to Passaic County authorities for an autopsy by a New Jersey Regional Medical Examiner's office.
ALL PHOTOS: Kyle Mazza for DAILY VOICE
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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
Or text CONNECT to 741-741.You are not alone.
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