Deputies locate body of man who went missing in Mississippi River in Elk River, officials say
ELK RIVER, Minn. — The search for a man who went missing in the Mississippi River north of the Twin Cities has ended.
Authorities said they searched the river from Rivers Edge Commons Park to Babcock Park in the Elk River area for a man who went underwater and didn't resurface. A state patrol helicopter was in the air, and there were rescue boats in the water.
On Sunday morning, the sheriff's office announced deputies had located the victim and identified him as 41-year-old Cody Jay Pope.
"I've been very nervous the last few weeks," said Brian Donnelly. "That somebody was going to fall in and would need to be rescued."
Donnelly has been in Elk River 23 years, but has only lived right along the river for a month. Even in that short time, he's already seen the power of the river.
"Over the last two weeks I've seen several people venture out there in kayaks or canoes and were very surprised that they end up down the river, a mile in like sixteen seconds," said Donnelly.
The Sherburne County Sheriff's Office said they were notified of several people struggling in the water at Rivers Edge Commons on Friday. A man and two children had been swimming on a sandbar when the children started to struggle in the current. The man grabbed one of the children and was able to get her to the sandbar.
Then he jumped in to help the second child and pushed the child to shore before he disappeared under the water, the sheriff's office says.
The children then told firefighters and police that their father was missing.
"I heard screams for help in the river so I look up and I see heads bobbing up and down, it was the son and the father," said Nick Bridges, who witnessed the incident. "My thoughts and prayers go out to the family not knowing, not getting any answers right now."
The witness said he saw the boy taken out of the water and placed in an ambulance.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help Pope's family.