Man who drowned in Eagan lake identified as 34-year-old
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A man who drowned in a lake at Lebanon Hills Regional Park in Eagan has been identified.
The body of Dereje Gonder Hirpa, 34, of Eagan, was found near the swimming area on Schulze Lake at 9:44 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 3.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner identified him on Thursday, noting his cause of death is freshwater drowning.
Surveillance footage showed a man matching Hirpa's description exit a vehicle in the parking lot and walk toward the beach with a towel in hand on Sunday, Aug. 1, the Dakota County Sheriff's Office said.
According to the Minnesota DNR, as of Aug. 8, there have been 16 non-boating drownings and 12 boating fatalities (it includes drowning while boating) this year.
In 2020, there were 49 non-boating drownings and 16 boating fatalities.
