Last Wednesday (May 27th) the Okanogan County Sheriff’s Office, EMS and other searchers began to comb the Okanogan River south of Oroville about a missing man.
Witness Spotted the Man Sitting in Shallow Water
The person briefly talked with the man who was sitting in the frigid water, then turned away for a moment. A loud noise was heard, then the witness saw the man drifting away, face down.
Divers who assisted in the search found a handgun in the water, very close to the place where the witness said the man was sitting.
Searchers immediately began using jet skis, boats and a drone, but were not able to find the man before dark. More searches Thursday did not yield success.
The Man’s Body Was Found Saturday, May 30th
The OCSO says a private group of searchers were conducting sweeps along the river shore when they came across a body. Officials say he was conclusive identified as Matthew Brown, age not given.
He is now in the custody of the Okanogan County Coroner, who will determine the cause of death.
The OCSO said spring runoff and rain had made the river much faster, and the search more dangerous.
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Gallery Credit: Andrew Lisa