WAUKESHA, Wis. — A retired Waukesha County Sheriff's Department deputy has been identified as the hiker who died in Grand Canyon National Park last week.
The former deputy was 56-year-old Scott McDonnell. The sheriff's department confirmed the news of McDonnell's death on Facebook, saying he, "served our county honorably for 29 years and made a lot of friends along the way. He will be greatly missed, our hearts go out to his family and friends during this difficult time."
According to the National Park Service (NPS), the Grand Canyon Regional Communications Center received a report of an unresponsive hiker on the Bright Angel Trail.
When search and rescue responded to the area, they found McDonnel dead. He had been attempting to day hike to the Colorado River and back.
Specific details as to how McDonnell died have not been released, but NPS said an investigation is underway.
