18-year-old Shawn Clapper of Deer Isle has been identified as the swimmer who died over the weekend at at Walker’s Pond in Sedgwick.
From the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department:
On Saturday, July 5, 2025, Sergeant Marcus Downes along with deputies Mariza Gionfriddo and Austin McDonald responded to an emergency at Walker’s Pond in Sedgwick following reports of two swimmers in distress calling for help. One individual was able to reach the shore safely. Tragically, the second swimmer went under and did not resurface. Deputy Austin McDonald, along with a local member of the fire department, entered the water in an effort to assist the swimmer, who was still floating on the surface approximately 150 feet from shore. Before they could reach him, the individual went under the water and out of sight. Despite difficult conditions, Deputy McDonald and the firefighter remained in the water and conducted a sustained search, attempting to locate the swimmer. Sadly, they were unable to immediately locate him. The swimmer was later identified as 18-year-old Shawn Clapper of Deer Isle. Emergency responders eventually recovered him from the water, and he was pronounced deceased at the scene. The incident is not considered suspicious, and preliminary findings suggest that water conditions and limited swimming experience may have contributed to the tragic outcome.
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