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By Désirée Ávila | editor@livinginoaklandpark.com

Helicopters Flying Above Royal Palm Park

At approximately 7pm Tuesday September 29th, 2020 a BSO helicopter was heard flying above the north side of Royal Palm Park in Oakland Park. In front of the park and in the parking lot were Oakland Park Fire Rescue and several BSO officers. The helicopter, BSO and Fire Rescue were intently looking in the lake on the east side of the park’s north end. One BSO officer that was cordoning off the area was asked for details, but she said that due to the fact that it was an ongoing investigation she could not share details. She did add that there was no risk to the public. 

As the time passed LivingInOaklandPark.com learned that a person, most likely a male, had gone into the lake for a swim and had not come back. Divers from the City of Sunrise Fire Rescue were called in to dive in the lake. Upon arrival one of the divers asked if this was a recovery mission. At that point it was understood that whoever was in the lake had drowned. 

After nearly an hour in the water the head diver for the City of Sunrise Fire Rescue asked for a body recovery bag. Soon after the body was put inside and we were asked to leave the scene as they lifted it out of the lake.

Later in the evening BSO Public Information Officer confirmed the facts LivingInOaklandPark.com had obtained regarding the incident :

“At approximately 6:39 p.m. Broward County Regional Communications received a drowning call at Royal Palm Park located at 1701 N.W. 38th Street in the city of Oakland Park. When Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived, they learned an adult male had entered a nearby lake and possibly drowned. Members from BSO’s dive team responded, along with members from Sunrise Fire Rescue’s dive team, and the adult male was located and pronounced deceased on scene. Crime scene and homicide detectives are investigating the circumstances behind this death”.

At 10:53 PM BSO was still on the scene investigating the circumstances behind the drowning. No further information about the victim will be released until the next-of-kin have been notified.  

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A Shock to the Community

As we covered the event live in the LivingInOaklandPark.com Facebook group it was evident that the drowning shocked the community.

Rebecca Petrone commented: “As a mom, I just can’t imagine, regardless of how old or young, this is someone’s child, brother, sister, mother, or father, the poor family…“.

Angela Brown Rice shared: “So sad. I heard someone went swimming and didn’t return“.