UPDATE: Mississippi Drowning Victim Identified

ST. CLOUD -- The name of the man who went missing in the Mississippi River Monday afternoon has been released.

The man has been identified as 49-year-old Shannon Shaw of Waite Park.

Shaw was a military veteran who had been discharged from a hospital emergency room earlier in the day on Monday and was later seen walking into the water.

St. Cloud Va spokesman Barry Venable released a statement.

We are saddened by this tragic loss of life.  Questions about the investigation should be directed to the Stearns County Sheriff’s Office.  Without a signed privacy waiver from the immediate next of kin, we cannot discuss anything about an individual’s care with the VA.

Assistant St. Cloud Police Chief Jeff Oxton says witnesses say they saw Shaw jump in the river around 4:45 p.m. Monday.  He started to swim across the river, but then the witnesses say they lost sight of him.

After searching for several hours Monday, Tom Crossmon of Crossmon Consulting was brought in to help with the search Tuesday. Stearns County Chief Deputy Jon Lentz says divers found Shaw around 8:25 p.m.Tuesday.