Fisherman finds body near ‘Jaws Bridge’ on Martha’s Vineyard, appears to be missing bridge jumper: Police
A fisherman on Thursday found a dead body near the “Jaws Bridge” on Martha’s Vineyard, which police said appears to be the missing bridge jumper from earlier this week.
State Police have been looking for Tavaughn Bulgin, a 21-year-old Jamaican man who was a seasonal worker at a restaurant on Martha’s Vineyard. Police on Monday recovered the body of his 26-year-old brother, Tavaris, who also jumped into the water from the “Jaws Bridge” late Sunday night.
After police searched for days for the missing brother, a fisherman apparently found his body near the bridge on Thursday.
“At approximately 11:30 AM today a shell fisherman located the deceased body of a young adult male on the western edge of Sengekontacket Pond,” a State Police spokesman said in a statement.
“The body matches the description of Tavaughn Bulgin, 21, who has been the subject of a weeklong ongoing search since he went missing Sunday night after jumping from the Big Bridge (Jaws Bridge) between Edgartown and Oak Bluffs,” the spokesman added. “State Police and local police are on scene.”
The bridge, the American Legion Memorial Bridge, connects Edgartown with Oak Bluffs via Beach Road and is a popular tourist destination due to its appearance in the famous 1975 killer shark film.
Jumping off the bridge is not allowed, but kids growing up on the island and tourists have done so for decades.
The jump to the water may be from a height of around 20 feet, depending on the tide, into a strong current that pulls swimmers toward the sea.
An online fundraiser for the Bulgin family has already raised more than $170,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
“After an unspeakable tragedy, we are raising funds to assist the family of Tavaris and Tavaughn Bulgin as they navigate a world without their beloved sons,” the GoFundMe page reads. “The costs of travel, transport, funeral and memorial services add up quickly, and our goal is to ease the burden on the family by allowing them the space and time to grieve without worrying about access to sufficient funds to lay their sons to rest properly. All donations will go to the Bulgin family.”
The brothers were being remembered for “their bright smiles, charismatic personalities, unshakeable faith and unrelenting positive attitude.”
“Their enthusiasm for life, commitment to God and their church, and impact on their community are how family and friends remember them,” states the fundraiser page. “They leave an unforgettable mark on the community of Martha’s Vineyard, their hometown of Clarendon and the entire country of Jamaica.”
The GoFundMe page is called “Memorial Fund for Tavaris and Tavaughn Bulgin.”
from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/r6MQKX5
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