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GATES – Labor Day turned tragic near here Monday when a Virginia man drowned in the Chowan River.

Gates County Sheriff Ray Campbell identified the victim as 24-year-old Reginald Grissom Jr. of Norfolk, VA.

Campbell said Grissom was at the Gatlington boat ramp, located off Sandbanks Road, with his girlfriend and a child.

“Mr. Grissom and the child had jumped off the pier several times into shallow water,” Campbell said. “Mr. Grissom then jumped off into deeper water near the end of the pier and did not come back up.”

Campbell said the depth of the water where Grissom entered was 8-to-10 feet.

“The river channel comes mighty close to the end of that pier. That channel is over 40 feet deep,” Campbell noted.

The Sheriff added that Grissom’s girlfriend as well as two “good Samaritans” attempted to save him.

Campbell said Gates County E-911 was notified of the incident at 5:42 p.m. Multiple agencies responded, to include the Sheriff’s Office, Gates County Emergency Management, and the Eure Volunteer Fire Department. Additional responders from Hertford County Emergency Management and the Winton Fire Department were also summoned to the scene.

Campbell said Grissom’s body was recovered at 8:28 p.m.