River City High Student Omar Sofizada Set To Graduate Dies After Rescuers Pull Him From American River
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – A young man from Sacramento has died after he was pulled from the American River over the weekend.
The incident happened Saturday afternoon, east of Ancil Hoffman Park. Exactly what led up to the man going under is unclear.
Sacramento Police, Sacramento Regional Parks, the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office and Metro Fire of Sacramento all helped in the search for the man. Rescue boats eventually located him and pulled him out of the water. He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
The man later died. He has been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner's Office as 18-year-old Sacramento resident Omar Sofizada.
On Monday, the Washington Unified School District released a statement acknowledging that Sofizada was a student at River City High School and was set to graduate in a few weeks.
"He was a very kind and hardworking student, dedicated to his studies and always making sure to be mindful of his classmates. His presence is undoubtedly going to be missed throughout our entire school community," the district said.
Sofizada and his family had only recently immigrated from Afghanistan.
No exact cause of death has been given, but the coroner's office lists the incident as an accident.
