A Virginia police officer's kind gesture for two young girls following an emergency at their family home is making headlines.

Corporal C.B. Fleming, a 15-year veteran of the South Hill Police Department, was among first responders to a reported gas leak at a South Hill apartment complex on Feb. 14.

After the gas leak was deemed non-threatening, 42-year-old Fleming approached a group of children outside of the building, sat down on the ground and proceeded to play games with them to ensure they felt safe.

Iesha Roper-Boswell, a resident of the complex and mother of one of the girls involved, told WTVR that the group of children, some of whom were originally fearful of the police presence, came to view Fleming as a "superhero" through his interactions with them.

"He's awesome. That's the only word you can really use to describe C.B.," she told the station. "It's just amazing, the bond he has with the children."

"People need the positivity," she continued. "I was telling him that my daughter, my niece, and some of the other children here were afraid of cops. So when he came and played with them, I captured that moment, not because I thought it would go viral, but it was amazing that my niece didn't break out into tears."

Roper-Boswell shared footage and photos of the heartwarming moment on Facebook, which have since racked up nearly 20,000 views as well as hundreds of shares.

After the clip went viral, Fleming told WTVR that developing a strong bond with children in the community he serves is something he's "always tried to do."

"When I got into this job, I knew there was something different, other than just writing tickets and being the bad person all the time," he said. "I figured if I could be that bright spot in someone's day then that's all that mattered."

"I want everyone, not just the kids... but the moms and dads to know that they can come to me," he added.

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