UPDATED: Man Drowns at Mitchell Park Lagoon
Sunday, September 25, 2016 4:27 p.m.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee Fire Department responded for a dive rescue shortly before 7 AM this morning at Mitchell Park in Milwaukee.
Three individuals were by the Mitchell Park Lagoon. One walked in and began an attempt to swim and he went under.
The fire department located and removed him, he was pulse-less and non-breathing.
Rescue teams arrived in just minutes, and they were able to resuscitate him and transport him to the hospital. He died there around 8:30 a.m.
The Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the death.
"It did not have a positive ending, but that absolutely should not diminish the efforts they put forth, nothing short of heroic," said Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski, Milwaukee Fire Department.
The dive team was called to a separate drowning soon after near Donna Drive.
An individual was spotted walking into a retention pond. With coaching from first responders, she was able to walk to shore.
"It's unusual to get two back to back water rescue-type runs. However, in the summertime in Milwaukee with all of our different bodies of water... there's a lot of opportunity for people to find themselves in a bad situation," said Deputy Chief Lipski.
Every Sunday Fulvia Cespedes and her family go to church at Mitchell Park. The lagoon where the man drowned is just feet from their church.
"We hang out here, sometimes fish, play, the kids run around. After church we come back out here," said Cespedes.
Before walking into the service, she was told a man drowned nearby. She says she has never seen anything like it at the park.
"It saddens me. I hate to hear that anywhere, from anybody, and especially here. We're sitting here and I'm like, 'Here? Today? Really?' It's shocking and sad," said Cespedes.
Milwaukee Fire Department Deputy Chief Aaron Lipski says this is not the first drowning in Mitchell Park. He warns that many people are not equipped to swim in ponds of bodies of water that aren't for swimming.
"Lagoons or retention ponds, they're not designed for swimming. The bottoms are extremely soft muddy spongy, a lot of growth and they're deeper than people expect them to be so it catches people off guard," said Deputy Chief Lipski.
If you witness someone drowning, the Milwaukee Fire Department says to call 911 first. Do not go in after the victim.
The fire department recommends anyone trying to help someone to follow the saying, "Reach, throw, no go."
1. If you can reach the drowning individual with your hands or something nearby like a stick, try to pull them out of the water.
2. If you cannot reach the individual, try to throw something to them. For example, a rope or life preserver.
3. If you cannot do either of the above, do not go in. Wait for help.
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Sunday, September 25, 2016 11:04 a.m.
MILWAUKEE - The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office is investigating the drowning death of an adult male pulled from the Mitchell Park Lagoon.
The Milwaukee Fire Department responded to the scene shortly before 7 a.m. this morning. There were three individuals by the Mitchell Park Lagoon. One had walked in and attempted to swim. He went under. Fire responded, located him, and removed him.
The man was pulse-less and non-breathing. The Milwaukee Fire Department resuscitated him and transported him to the hospital where he later died.
Stay with CBS 58 News and CBS58.com for more information on this developing story.