MANCHESTER, NH – The lifeless body of a man who had been reported as missing and possibly drowned in the Merrimack River was recovered Tuesday at about 3 p.m.
The man was identified as Torin Brown, 34, of North Carolina.
At about 5: 40 p.m. on May 11 Manchester Police were called to the area of the Queen City Bridge for an initial call for service involving a “possible jumper” from the bridge. Officers arrived on scene and observed several people standing on the east side of the river bank. They spoke with the possible witnesses and realized no one had jumped from the bridge. Instead, they were told that a man had made an attempt to swim across the rapidly flowing river.
A search and rescue effort took place with multiple agencies assisting, in an attempt to locate a 34-year old male who allegedly was swept downstream as he tried to swim across the Merrimack River. New Hampshire State Police and D.A.R.T. both searched the river by helicopter. Both Manchester and Bedford Fire Departments utilized boats, but all efforts to locate the Brown were suspended due to nightfall. The search ended approximately 8 p.m. Monday.
Brown, who is reportedly homeless, made an attempt to swim from the east side of the riverbank to the west side of the river, so he could reach his “camp site.” The witnesses on scene stated he made it halfway across the river before being “swept downstream,” so they were unsure if he actually went under the water. They claimed to have lost sight of him as he passed under the Queen City Bridge.
Police resumed the search May 12. New Hampshire Marine Patrol, along with Officer Adam Beland, recovered Brown’s body around 3 p.m. Officers were utilizing a patrol boat when they located the body approximately 50 yards south of the Queen City Bridge.
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