By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
ATF agent Hugh Anthony O’Connor died Sunday drowning on the Tennessee River in Marshall County, Ala.
Marine patrol troopers say the incident happened around 5:40 p.m. Sunday near Painted Bluff in the vicinity of the Marshall and Madison county lines, station WAFF reports.
Authorities say O’Connor jumped into the water from a boat to help a woman retrieve items that blew from their boat and he failed to surface. His body was recovered approximately 100 yards downstream, the station reports.
ATF issued a statement on Facebook:
ATF is saddened to report the death of one of our own. We mourn the loss of Special Agent/ Certified Explosive Specialist Bomb Technician (CESBT) Hugh A. O’Connor. Our thoughts are with the O’Connor family and the National Center for Explosives Training and Research (NCETR).
Responses on Facebook included:
Bill Atkinson: I miss you brother. You have been a good friend and mentor, and you had my six on a lot of PBSO-ATF Violent Crime Task Force search warrants and felony takedowns while I was a TFO and shared an office with you in West Palm Beach.Rest easy until we can join you someday- keep some Guinness and Jamason ready.
Cheryl Basham: One of the nicest guys I’ve ever met. RIP Hugh.
Matthew Blakeman: What an amazing guy. Tough loss.
