The Charleston Police Department has tragically confirmed the discovery of Owen Kenney, a college student who had been reported missing since Halloween night. The 19-year-old’s body was found in the waters near Patriots Point on the morning of November 8th, at approximately 8:45 a.m.

This somber discovery sparked a coordinated recovery operation involving multiple agencies including the Charleston Police Harbor Patrol, Mount Pleasant Police Department, Charleston County Rescue, and Charleston County Sheriff’s Office. Authorities have concluded that Kenney, a student at the College of Charleston, ended his own life.

In a statement issued on November 8th, Charleston Police Chief Chito Walker expressed gratitude to all who participated in the search and recovery efforts. “I would like to thank everyone who took part in the effort to get Owen back to his family,” he said. “We hope this recovery brings some measure of closure to a family experiencing unimaginable loss.”

Initially, Charleston Police reported that Kenney was last seen by friends around 2 a.m. on October 31st near the intersection of King Street and Burns Lane. Subsequent updates in the investigation revealed his last confirmed location was on the pedestrian walkway of the Ravenel Bridge.

Missing College Student Owen Kenney Is Reported Missing

According to police, Kenney was spotted walking alone around 3 a.m., adorned in a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants, and black Nike sneakers with white soles. This heartbreaking incident has left a deep impact on the community and serves as a reminder of the importance of mental health awareness.

As the investigation continued, his last known whereabouts were updated to the Ravenel Bridge pedestrian walkway, where police said he was walking alone around 3 a.m. that morning. He was wearing a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants and black Nike sneakers with white soles. 

According to police, his phone’s last recorded location was also on the bridge around the same time. 

Authorities launched an exhaustive search to try to find the missing college student from New Jersey, utilizing K-9 units, the Harbor Patrol, a Underwater Recovery Team and Unmanned Aerial System Team during the days-long search effort. 

His body was recovered Nov. 8 after authorities received a report of a body in the water near Patriots Point, authorities said.

Police concluded that Kenney took his life around 3:49 a.m. on Oct. 31.

“There are no words that can ease the pain of losing someone so young and so full of promise,” College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu said in a statement  Nov. 8, according to ABC News. “Now is the time to surround his family with love, to support the friends and classmates who are grieving and to remind each other that no one in our campus family carries this weight alone.” 

Police have asked for privacy for the Kenney family as they navigate their loss.