A 19-year-old college student from New Jersey went missing under mysterious circumstances near his home in South Carolina on Halloween, according to authorities and reports.
Owen Tillman Kenny was last seen by friends around 2 a.m. on Friday near King Street and Burns Lane. The Charleston Police Department confirmed this in a news release.
“He was only minutes from home, but he never returned,” his family shared in a statement posted on Facebook.
A notice about the missing College of Charleston student was issued on Saturday.
Police were able to capture video footage of him walking alone on the Ravenel Bridge sidewalk shortly after 3 a.m. that same day. His cell phone last registered at the bridge around that time.
Initially, police mentioned he was wearing a green and white Boston Celtics Halloween outfit, but later footage showed him dressed in a black hoodie, light pants, and black Nike sneakers with white soles. His family noted he has tattoos on his right forearm, left shoulder, left shin, and knee.
His roommates attempted to locate him, but they found his cell phone was dead when he went missing. “Honestly, it’s really creepy on campus right now. You can definitely feel a sense of distance here,” remarked College of Charleston student Holland Cartmill.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s definitely scary, and I really hope it never happens again,” she added.
Kenny hails from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and is a graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School.
“Please share and pray for his safe return,” a photo from his high school was shared on Facebook.
Authorities have deployed many resources to locate Kenny, including underwater recovery teams, harbor patrols, K9 units, and drone teams.
“We appreciate the many individuals who have searched for Owen and shared information on social media,” the police stated on Tuesday. They also emphasized the importance of keeping in mind that the investigation is centered on families seeking their loved ones.
