Coroner IDs man who drowned in Bellagio fountains
The Clark County coroner’s office has identified the man who drowned in the Bellagio fountains on Friday morning as 52-year-old David Swift.
The coroner’s office did not have a place of residence listed for Swift, whom police called a “local transient” man. His cause and manner of death are still pending.
Metropolitan Police Department Capt. Dori Koren said Friday that Swift “engaged” some tourists before jumping in and swimming out into the middle of the fountains, where the water can be as deep as 13 feet. The man began struggling and a tourist jumped in to help, but “it was too late by the time we responded,” Koren said.
Kayla Eklund, a 21-year-old college student from Michigan, said she called 911 after she and a friend witnessed the man struggling to swim.
Before the man jumped in, he was talking to himself, Eklund said. He made it to the middle of the fountains before turning back, and he started struggling when he was near the spot where he jumped in, she said.
“He was just staying in one spot treading water,” she said. “He started yelling, ‘Help, help, help!’ ”
Koren said the man’s death was a reminder for people visiting Las Vegas to be careful around water attractions.
“Please just make sure that you do not jump in for any reason,” he said.
Contact Alexis Ford at aford@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0335. Follow @alexisdford on Twitter.