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69-year-old Grandview man dies after boat capsizes on Jackson County lake

One person died Thursday in a suspected drowning on a Unity Village lake after a small fishing boat capsized with two people inside, according to Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte.
One person died Thursday in a suspected drowning on a Unity Village lake after a small fishing boat capsized with two people inside, according to Jackson County Sheriff Darryl Forte. Jackson County Sheriff's Office

The body of one person was recovered from a lake in Unity Village on Thursday afternoon as Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies were called out to investigate a drowning.

Sheriff Darryl Forte said on social media that two people were fishing from a small boat when the boat capsized. The body of one person was recovered from the water around 4 p.m.

The other person was able to swim to the shore, the sheriff said.

A report created by the Missouri State Highway Patrol late Thursday said the event occurred around 8:30 a.m. The drowning victim was identified as 69-year-old Randall Bray of Grandview. He was declared dead at the scene by the Jackson County Medical Examiner.

The man who accompanied Bray on the boat, a 76-year-old from Independence, was uninjured, according to the report.

This story was originally published May 19, 2022 at 6:21 PM.

Bill Lukitsch
The Kansas City Star
Bill Lukitsch covered nighttime breaking news for The Kansas City Star since 2021, focusing on crime, courts and police accountability. Lukitsch previously reported on politics and government for The Quad-City Times.
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