'Had a bright future': Teen dies in swimming accident at Falls Lake

The body of missing 17-year-old Davion Davis was found Thursday, according to Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker. Davis disappeared Wednesday while swimming with friends.

Posted 3:49 p.m. Apr 9, 2020 — Updated 9:22 p.m. Apr 9, 2020

Amanda Lamb

, WRAL reporter

RALEIGH, N.C. — Family and friends of Davion Davis are in mourning tonight after the 17-year old died in a swimming accident at Falls Lake Wednesday evening.

His body was located by search teams around noon Thursday.

Davis was a junior at Wakefield High School, where he played varsity football.

"Bright young man, was doing well in school. Had a bright future ahead of him," said Wake County Sheriff Gerald Baker.

Baker said Davis was swimming with two friends at Falls Lake late Wednesday afternoon.

"We don’t know right now what happened when he went in," Baker told WRAL News. "One of his friends thought he might be having some issues. He jumped in to try to help him. But he didn’t come back up."

Investigators believe Davis may have hit his head on a rock.

Wake County deputies responded to the friends' 911 call at around 6:30 Wednesday evening.

Baker said the WCSO's marine team immediately began searching the water, while other deputies used sonar equipment. Deputies also searched the woods near the scene, even as darkness was falling. But strong storms that moved through the area forced the marine team to suspend the search for the night.

Baker said deputies using a boat continued to search until early Thursday morning, then secured the scene until dive teams could resume operations at dawn Thursday.

He said several local law enforcement dive teams assisted with the search and rescue operation Thursday.

"If you’re going to go swimming here in a lake or pool or anywhere else, you have to be careful and make sure there is someone who can possibly be there to help if something happens," Baker said.

Despite the stay-at-home order, the sheriff doesn't believe the small gathering of teens violated the rules as you are allowed to be outside. But he says all young people need to know and follow the rules.

Davis's family declined to speak with WRAL News on camera at this time.

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