The Charleston Police Department (CPD)
announced Thursday that it has shifted from search operations to recovery efforts in the case of Owen Tillman Kenney, a student at the College of Charleston. Police say Kenney died by suicide on Oct. 31.
In a Nov. 6 statement posted on the CPD Newsroom, detectives confirmed they had reviewed recently recovered video evidence showing that at 3:49 a.m. on Oct. 31, 2025, “Owen took his own life after walking onto the Ravenel Bridge pedestrian walkway.”
The CPD transitioned from search operations to recovery efforts, with agencies remaining engaged, working together to help bring closure for Kenney’s family.
Police Chief Chito Walker said: “Our priority has always been and will remain Owen’s family. This is a real case involving a real family living through unimaginable pain, and they deserve compassion, privacy, and support from all of us.”
Kenney, a 19-year-old freshman from Tinton Falls, New Jersey, was last seen near King Street and Burns Lane around 2 a.m. on Oct. 31, according to police. Detectives later determined that he was walking alone onto the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge shortly after 3 a.m., with his phone’s last recorded signal at that same location.
An
extensive search for Kenney brought together law enforcement agencies, harbor patrol units, underwater recovery teams, K-9 squads, and assistance from both the FBI and New Jersey State Police.
At the College of Charleston, students and faculty
gathered Nov. 7 in Cistern Yard to honor Kenney’s life, according to The Post and Courier. More than a hundred people attended a campus vigil, writing messages and leaving flowers at a makeshift memorial.
Kenney’s previous school, Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey, also
released a statement on Facebook expressing profound sadness at his passing. “Owen has been a beloved part of our school community, and his presence, kindness, and spirit have touched many,” wrote Principal Vanessa Pereira in the joint letter with Saint James Elementary School Principal Michael Ientile.
“At times like these, we turn to our faith and to one another for strength and comfort,” stated the school. “We ask you to please join us in holding Owen and the Kenney family in prayer. May they feel the love and support of this community and the peace of Christ during this heartbreaking time.”
The CPD said it remains in contact with Kenney’s family as recovery efforts continue.
This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the United States is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org. Helplines outside the United States can be found at www.iasp.info/suicidalthoughts.
