CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – The body of a missing College of Charleston student was recovered Saturday near Charleston Harbor.
Charleston Police Harbor Patrol units, with assistance from the Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston County Rescue, and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office, responded to a report of a body in the water near Patriots Point around 8:45 a.m., according to the Charleston Police Department.
Police officials added that the Charleston County Coroner’s Office confirmed the identity of the deceased as Owen Kenney.
“I would like to thank everyone who took part in the effort to get Owen back to his family. We hope this recovery brings some measure of closure to a family experiencing unimaginable loss. We ask that everyone continue to respect the privacy of the Kenney family during this difficult time,” said Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker.
News 2 crews saw multiple law enforcement and rescue crews near Patriots Point and the Mount Pleasant Pier around 9:30 a.m.
The recovery comes just days after the Charleston Police Department said it had shifted to recovery efforts in the ongoing search for 19-year-old Owen Tillman Kenney.
Officers reviewed video evidence confirming Kenney took his own life at 3:49 a.m. on Oct. 31 after walking on the pedestrian walkway of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge.
Kenney was last seen after attending a Halloween party with friends. During an investigation into his disappearance, the Charleston Police Department said he was recorded walking alone on the Ravenel Bridge walkway in the early morning hours.
Police officials said his cell phone’s last recorded location was on the bridge around the same time.
“Our priority has always been and will remain Owen’s family. This is a real case involving a real family living through unimaginable pain, and they deserve compassion, privacy, and support from all of us,” Chief Chito Walker said.
The Charleston Police Department had deployed additional resources while searching for the missing student, including the use of the agency’s Underwater Recovery Team, Harbor Patrol, and an Unmanned Aerial System Team.
Various federal, state, and local agencies also took part in the search for Kenney, along with teams in the 19-year-old’s home state of New Jersey.
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a trained listener, call or text 988. Visit 988lifeline.org for crisis chat services or for more information.