Update No. 1: New Haven Barracks / Death investigation - victim identified

STATE OF VERMONT

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VERMONT STATE POLICE

CASE#: 25B5002736

RANK/TROOPER FULL NAME: Detective Trooper Nicholas Grimes

STATION: New Haven Barracks

CONTACT#: 802-388-4919

DATE/TIME: About 5:18 p.m. Saturday, June 21

INCIDENT LOCATION: Bartlett Falls, Lincoln Road, Bristol, VT

INCIDENT TYPE: Death investigation

VICTIM: Eljak Menjwak

AGE: 18

CITY, STATE OF RESIDENCE: Burlington, VT

SUMMARY OF INCIDENT:

The victim in this incident is identified at 18-year-old Eljak Menjwak of Burlington.

***Initial news release, 12:25 a.m. Sunday, June 22, 2025***

The Vermont State Police is investigating a drowning that occurred Saturday afternoon, June 21, 2025, in Bristol. The victim is an 18-year-old man from Burlington, Vermont.

The incident occurred at about 5:10 p.m. when the victim jumped from Bartlett Falls on the New Haven River off Lincoln Road and immediately began to struggle in the water. Bystanders were unable to pull him from the river. Multiple fire and rescue agencies responded to emergency calls, including technical rescue, and the victim's body was recovered from the water at about 8 p.m. Members of Bristol Rescue pronounced him deceased on scene. There are no indications this incident is suspicious.

The victim's body was transported to the Chief Medical Examiner's Office in Burlington for an autopsy to determine cause and manner of death. VSP will withhold the name of the deceased until after notification of relatives.

No additional details are available at this time.

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