FARGO – An unconscious woman who was pulled out of the Red River near lwen Park by a disc golfer on Friday afternoon, April 14, died later in the evening, police say.
“[We’re] lucky that the individual that was playing happened to see something in the water and went to investigate it,” Sgt. Collin Gnoinsky said Friday at the scene near 52nd Avenue South.
Emergency crews received a report of a possible drowning at about 2:33 p.m. in the 4900 block of South University Drive. Firefighters, medics and police responded to scene, which is by the Iwen Park disc golf course.
The woman was alive when taken to a local hospital, Gnoinsky said. She appeared to be in her 60s and was fully clothed, he added. Her medical condition was unknown and later that evening police confirmed the woman died. Gnoinsky said he believes the woman walked into the river.
Gnoinsky said there is “no evidence of foul play or anything at this point.” Detectives left the scene with two brown paper bags filled with what they believed were the woman’s belongings.
ADVERTISEMENT
The investigation is ongoing, Gnoinsky said, and they are still focused on identifying the woman, though police think they have a good idea of who she is. They are waiting for confirmation and family notification before releasing her name.
A family from Wahpeton that didn’t want to be identified was enjoying the 70-degree temperatures Friday with a game of disc golf. When they were walking back to the parking lot at the park’s boat landing, they noticed the police presence and caution tape. Officers allowed the family to retrieve their vehicle and leave.
Another unidentified man was also taped in at the scene and left shortly before the family.
One vehicle remained at the landing that officers unlocked to search. Gnoinsky said he wasn’t sure if it was the victim’s vehicle, and they were trying to locate the owner.
WDAY 6 reporter Catherine Ross contributed to this report.
- Man found dead inside after Moorhead townhome burns
- Teen killed in head-on crash on way to school in Otter Tail County
