Crime & Safety

Body Recovered From Snellville's Norris Lake

Emergency workers recovered the body of a 46-year-old man missing in Norris Lake since Saturday.

(Editor's Note: This article was originally published February 7, 2011.)

Divers located the body of a missing man in Norris Lake Monday afternoon.

Gwinnett County Fire and Rescue, with assistance from divers from Forsyth County and a volunteer K-9 team from metro Atlanta assisted. The man's body was recovered about 3:10 p.m.

"We are thankful that the man was able to be located today," said Gwinnett Fire Capt. Tommy Rutledge. "We can now bring closure to the community and to the family and friends of the victim."

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Rescue and recovery workers began a third day of efforts to locate the man about 8 a.m. Monday. They spent the majority of Monday searching the lake with a sonar device from a rescue boat. Cadaver dogs were also used to help identify locations where divers could search within the waters.

The body was pulled from the water by Gwinnett and Forsyth county firefighters, and it was then turned over to the Gwinnett County Medical Examiner for an official identification and cause of death. After family members have been notified, the man's name will be released to the public.

Find out what's happening in Snellvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The 46-year-old man fell into Norris Lake on Saturday, when he took a kayak out on the waters during a lunch break. He had been working with a crew on a boat deck at the 700 block of Lake Drive in Snellville.

Officials said the man could not swim and was not wearing a life jacket. Norris Lake neighbors tried to save the man by getting out in their own canoes, but they were unsuccessful.

The 90-acre Norris Lake is located in a private, residential community between Gwinnett and DeKalb counties.


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