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AP video shows Norfolk officer rescuing woman from sinkhole

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Summary

The broadcast is a short video clip from the Associated Press showing bodycam-style audio and visuals of a Norfolk, Virginia, police officer rescuing a woman whose SUV had fallen into a water-filled sinkhole on a downtown road. The officer coordinates with bystanders to pull the woman to safety while she is trapped inside the partially submerged vehicle. The segment includes dialogue between the officer and the woman confirming she had been stuck and that no one else was inside.

Editorial Assessment

The report accurately depicts a real incident that occurred around June 23-24, 2026, in Norfolk when a sinkhole opened due to a water main break during severe weather. Claims in the audio, such as the woman's duration in the vehicle and the need for assistance via the officer's belt, align with contemporaneous news accounts from local outlets. No context is missing in this concise rescue footage, and sourcing is primary via the officer's bodycam audio. Viewers receive a clear, unembellished view of the event without loaded language or partisan angles.

Key Moments

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Woman had been stuck in the sinkhole vehicle for about 4 hours

Consistent with local reporting of the woman trapped inside her partially submerged SUV until rescue

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Officer instructs bystanders to grab his belt to help pull the woman out

Matches accounts from WTKR and WAVY describing bystanders assisting Officer A.J. Stevenson by holding his duty belt

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No one else was in the vehicle with the woman

Confirmed in the incident reports; driver was alone and evaluated on scene without transport

Sources Consulted

  1. Police officer rescues woman whose vehicle fell into sinkhole in Virginia
  2. Norfolk officer and bystanders team up to rescue woman trapped in sinkhole
  3. NPD officer details rescue of woman from flooded sinkhole
  4. Officer rescues woman after sinkhole swallows SUV in downtown Norfolk