From:
http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20100802/NEWS01/100802028/UPDATED-4-teens-drown-in-Red-River-search-continues
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UPDATED: 4 teens drown in Red River, search continues
From Staff Reports • August 2, 2010
The death toll has risen to four and emergency crews are searching for two more teenagers believed to have drowned in the Red River this evening.
The six kids, between the ages of 14 and 18 from three families, had been in the water for about 10 minutes near the sandbar at the Charles and Marie Hamel Memorial Park, according to family members, who witnessed the drownings.
Family members told authorities they were at the park off Clyde Fant Parkway in Shreveport, for a gathering. The children, who didn’t know how to swim, were wading in shallow water when the bottom of the river fell from under them.
They had one life jacket.
A bystander jumped in and saved a 15-year-old boy, who has been treated on the scene.
Caddo and Bossier parish emergency crews along with Shreveport and Bossier City police are searching for the teens.
Emergency crews were called to the area off Clyde Fant Parkway at about 6:30 p.m. today.
About 18 emergency units have responded to the scene.
I know exactly where this is, I’ve driven by it dozens of times. It’s a riverbank park right near downtown shreveport, popular with joggers, bikers, etc. The temp has been over 100 degrees for several days. The river is low and must have looked deceptively placid and inviting.