PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The family of Daquan Rountree say his body was the one found Monday at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, a devastating update nearly a month after the 19-year-old Portsmouth resident was reported missing.
Rountree’s family shared the news with WAVY’s Regina Mobley on Tuesday, and Wednesday, the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the identity of the body as Rountree’s. Portsmouth Police issued a statement about the search for Rountree Thursday:
The Portsmouth Police Department dedicated extensive efforts to search for Mr. Roundtree and provide support to his family during this difficult time. Our officers and investigators conducted thorough searches using bloodhounds and drones across multiple areas over several days, prior to the community-led search.
Tragically, Mr. Rountree’s body was discovered within the confines of the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, an area outside of our jurisdiction, and the circumstances surrounding where he entered the water remain unclear.
We acknowledge the heightened emotions surrounding this situation and express regret if there has been any criticism of our efforts. Our foremost priority has always been to locate Mr. Rountree and offer support to his family. Our hearts go out to the Roundtree family, and we remain dedicated to providing them with our utmost assistance and empathy.
As a police department, we are continually striving to enhance our services and better serve our community. This ongoing commitment includes reviewing our responses and policies.
Portsmouth Police Department is deeply saddened of the passing of Daquan Rountree and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family during this difficult time.
Further information will be shared with the family when it comes available.
– Portsmouth Police Department
The 19-year-old was reported missing back on Dec. 11, and his family said they were concerned about his well-being and that he had an apparent mental health crisis.
“The mindset he was in, he was suicidal,” his father Gabriel Rountree said last month. “He didn’t have any clothes on. He wasn’t in his right mind.”
His father says before Daquan left, he grabbed one of his guns and pulled the trigger, but it was locked by a safety device.
“And once I was able to get the weapon from him, he said he wanted me to kill him,” Gabriel Rountree said.
Daquan then left the home while nude, and was spotted about an hour later near the shipyard. After nearly a month of searching, Rountree’s body was found Monday morning in the water by an employee at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, where Rountree worked. NCIS and Portsmouth Police continued the preliminary investigation, and the body was turned over to the Chief Medical Examiner-Tidewater for identification.
Rountree’s family isn’t sure what may have led to mental health episode, but say Daquan used to suffer multiple seizures a week when he was younger.