WATCH: Missouri teen shields elderly woman from rain with his jacket

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

Police are looking for a teenager in Independence Missouri - but it’s not because he did anything wrong. It’s what the young man did right that has authorities wanting to talk to him.

A police officer happened to snap a photo when he saw the teen perform a random act of kindness: helping an elderly woman in need in the parking lot.

"It was pouring down rain, and all the sudden I see this teenager running across the parking lot taking his coat off,” Officer Joe Holt with the Independence Police Dept. said.

He filmed the moment as he sat in his patrol car: the teen taking off his own jacket and draping it over an elerfly woman struggling to get to her car. He then escorted her the rest of the way.

"I was just totally thrilled by it and I couldn't let it go unnoticed."

He then followed the boy to his mom’s van, where he described what her son had just done.

"She teared up pretty good. It was a moment between the both of us. I mean I teared up a little bit. I'm a parent as well,” Holt said. “So, I told her that I was very impressed with him and that he should be proud."

Holt posted the picture to Facebook, and since then, it has inspired kindness around the world.

"It has gone viral. I mean there's people from New York, Brunswick."

Holt hopes to speak to him one day.

“As much love that kid displayed that day, that kid could go places. And I think he could set an example for what society needs to be." In fact, Holt wants to reward him with dinner.

"He's the hero. I'm just the photographer in this situation. So it's wherever he wants to go. It's on my dime. So he can pick."