Police Continue to Search for Body | Video

Jessica Roose | 8/9/2012

Police have called off the search for the body of a man who jumped off the railroad bridge last night and will resume tomorrow morning. The body of Gregory Fredericksen, 27, was believed to have been found around noon. But because of the murky water, divers are having a difficult time recovering the body.

The search began shortly after Fredrickson jumped from the bridge into the Missouri River. Witnesses say he was dared to jump from the the top of the railroad bridge near Keelboat park

Doug Frieson says he was boating when the tragic scene unfolded.

"I`m just really sorry I couldn`t do something to help him and I feel badly for his family and friends."

Bismarck Police Lieutenant Bob Haas says divers stopped the search around 11:00 p.m. when it got too dark to continue. They went back into the water around 8:00 this morning. But water conditions in the river make it difficult for divers to navigate in the Missouri.

"They`ve marked an area and they`re swimming around that area trying to find him but the visibility down there is so bad that they can`t really see more than just maybe a foot in front of them."

Hass added that Fredrickson should not have been on the bridge. It`s private property and being on it is trespassing. Unfortunately, as we have seen here, the end result can be tragic.

"Whether people realize it or not, a fall from that height going into the river. The river, yeah it`s water, and you can`t, you know, it`s all that dense but falling from a height like that is like landing on a slab of concrete."

Unfortunately this looks to be a tragic reminder of what not to do while spending a day with friends near the river.

The search is being conducted by members of the Burleigh and Morton county dive teams, Bismarck Rural Fire and North Dakota Game and Fish. Police are encouraging any witnesses to come forward with any information that could be helpful to police.

They specifically would like to talk to boaters who were nearby when he went in.

COMMENT ON THIS STORY

BACK TO NEWS | BACK TO BISMARCK STORIES