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Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Boy, 19, dies in bizarre incident at retention pond
Police divers recover body at Albina Park
Ruth Bonneville / Winnipeg Free Press A police underwater search and recovery unit member emerges from a retention pond at Albina Park.
Winnipeg police divers pulled the body of a male teenager from a northwest Winnipeg retention pond Tuesday afternoon.
Friends on Facebook identified the teen as William Pottinger, 19.
Witnesses said the teen appeared distraught and possibly injured on Monday before he ran into the pond, located in Albina Park. He was last seen "struggling to remain above water," said Const. Jason Michalyshen.
"It did appear that he did remove some clothing, entered the water, and then came back onto land and was yelling some obscenities and was obviously somewhat distraught, and then entered the water again," said Michalyshen. He said the teen chased a witness after they tried to "offer him assistance."
Members of the police underwater search and recovery unit began looking for the teen on Monday, but dense seaweed and little-to-no visibility underwater made the search a difficult one, Michalyshen explained.
Bob Lentowich, chief of District 10 of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service, said crews responded to a call Monday from a man who said he had been assaulted by a male attacker who then ran into the pond. About two dozen emergency personnel surrounded the Tyndall Park pond as crews in three watercraft searched for the youth. They left after two hours and resumed searching Tuesday morning.
Drugs and alcohol are not being ruled out as factors in the "unique" event, Michalyshen said.
"Based on experience, based on history, based on what was described to us, that's certainly a possibility," he said.
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition July 18, 2012 A6
History
Updated on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at 11:35 AM CDT: corrects age to 19
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