PHILIPPI, W.Va. — Authorities have confirmed the identity of the young man who drowned at Tygart Lake on Sunday as 19-year-old Dustin Nixon of Clarksburg, West Virginia. The tragic incident has left a community in mourning and sparked an ongoing investigation by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR).
Nixon’s body was recovered from the lake at approximately 7 p.m. Sunday evening following an intensive search and rescue operation involving multiple emergency crews. The West Virginia Natural Resources Police, along with local EMS and law enforcement agencies, responded swiftly to the scene in an effort to locate the teen.
Captain David James of WVDNR District 1 described the event as heartbreaking.
“Summer months, we always have tragedies like this,” he said. “It’s a shame, but I hope the family does well. I hope some closure was brought to the family by the quick response from all the EMS and other police agencies involved.”
While the cause of the drowning has not yet been confirmed, officials noted that a report from the medical examiner is still pending. Investigators are continuing to piece together the events that led to the incident.
The news of Dustin Nixon’s untimely passing has sent waves of grief through the Clarksburg community, where he was known as a kind-hearted young man with his whole future ahead of him. Support and condolences have begun pouring in for his family and loved ones as they face an unimaginable loss.
As summer continues, authorities are urging the public to exercise caution while enjoying West Virginia’s lakes and waterways, emphasizing the importance of safety equipment and awareness in and around water.
