Naked man pulled from river in Spring Lake later dies, police say

SPRING LAKE, N.C. (WNCN) - A man who was running around naked in Spring Lake Sunday morning died after he was pulled from a river, police said.

The incident was reported around 9 a.m. when police received calls about a naked man running in the area of West Manchester Road near North Bragg Boulevard, Spring Lake police said.

The man was eventually found by authorities, but he somehow ended up in Little River, which runs behind the Church of the Covenant, police said.

The 29-year-old man later made his way to the edge of the river, where authorities were able to remove him from the cold water.

The man, later identified as Bernard Bryant, was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center where he later died.

The Spring Lake Fire Department, Bragg Fire and Emergency Services and Spring Lake Police were involved in efforts to find and rescue the man, officials said.

Police said it is believed Bryant had mental issues.  Police said it is not clear if hypothermia was a factor in Bryant's death.