Body located in Afton State Park following missing person search
Andrew Dropik was last seen two weeks ago. (FOX 9)
HASTINGS, Minn. (FOX 9) - A body that matches the description of a missing person was recovered in Afton State Park over the weekend, and authorities are investigating the circumstances.
According to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, after a weeks-long search by authorities and volunteers spanning more than 1,600 acres, a body matching the description of Andrew Dropik, 31, was located in isolated terrain of the park by Northstar Search and Rescue at approximately 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 17. Preliminary investigation does not indicate any sign of foul play, according to authorities.
Dropik was last seen Tuesday, May 16, at a gas station in Inver Grove Heights, according to police. Days later family located his vehicle near the park in an area he was known to hike.
It’s suspected by both family and law enforcement that Dropik may have been undergoing a mental health crisis, and a handgun from his residence was unaccounted for, according to a press announcement.
Formal identification of the deceased, along with the official cause and manner of death, will be determined by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office.