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Police identify Virginia man who drowned trying to save his dog

Officials say 28-year-old Nghia Trinh, of Burke, was pulled from the lake and pronounced dead on the scene

BURKE, Va. — Police are investigating after a 28-year-old man drowned Saturday in a Fairfax County lake. 

Fairfax County police said they responded to Lake Braddock in the 9400 block of Goshen Lane in Burke, Va., for the report of a man missing in the lake.

Investigators said the man, later identified as Nghia Trinh, was walking his dog by the lake when the dog got loose and went into the water. Witnesses said Trinh jumped in and tried to save it.

Police said Trinh went underwater and did not resurface. About 40 minutes later, firefighters recovered Trinh's body and he was pronounced dead on the scene. Officials said Trinh’s dog is alive and safe. 

One neighbor said he's saddened and shocked by the news he came home to Saturday night.

“It was unexpected, and there are a lot of measures that our community puts in place to keep the area safe," said Miguel Laffosse, who lives down the street from the lake.

He says there are no swimming signs posted along the lake.

“In this case, if a dog did in fact go in the water, then this gentleman entered the water after the dog, it appears at this point, so that would explain the actions," said Sgt. Greg Bedor with the Fairfax County Police.

Police could not confirm the depth of the water, but Laffosse says he's noticed that there can be a steep dropoff based on watching his son's dog swim.

“There’s some parts of the lake where it’s a very gradual transition, similar to a public beach, and then some areas, because it’s an artificial lake, there is a steep drop, and sometimes when she goes in…she had to immediately start dog paddling," said Laffosse.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of Trinh's death.  Miguel said the community will rally behind the family in any way it can.

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