ALEXANDER GRANT - 19 yo - Saratoga Springs NY

Saratoga Springs police said Tuesday their
discovery of a missing 19-year-old concludes their search, but not
the investigation into what led him into a wooded area where he
apparently fell into a creek and died.
At an afternoon press conference, authorities said they will
investigate how Alexander Grant wound up nearly a mile from a
Church Street residence where he was apparently partying with
friends Saturday night.
Grant, a Boston College student who was in Saratoga Springs to
visit friends at Skidmore College, was found late Tuesday morning
submerged under ice in a creek north of Sunnyside Gardens.
The discovery came nearly 42 hours after two of Grant's friends
reported to police they had not seen nor heard from him since he
left a party on Church Street at about 11:30 p.m. Saturday.
Police said the friends were able to identify Grant as the man
seen on surveillance footage kicking out a glass window at an
office building on Care Lane at about 1:15 a.m. Sunday.
The tape, provided to police at about noon on Sunday, shows
Grant disoriented, bleeding profusely and wearing only a
long-sleeved T-shirt, a single sock and shorts, police said.
Grant spent roughly an hour inside the building, which is about
a half-mile west of the Church Street home where police said they
believe Grant had been attending a party. Police said Grant was
likely drinking at the party, but they would not speculate about
how much he may have consumed or if other drugs were involved.
Toxicology reports that would indicate what, if any, substances
were in Grant's system aren't expected to be available for weeks.
"Because we're still doing our investigation, we're very limited
as to what we can talk about," Saratoga Springs Police Chief Chris
Cole said. "All I can say is that we have a deceased person, and
our job is to find out what happened."
Cole said foul play is not suspected in the case, but
investigators are interested in learning more about what happened
to Grant between the time he left the Church Street party and when
he was recorded by the security cameras at the office building.
Police also want to know who provided Grant with alcohol because
misdemeanor charges could be filed against that person.
"This is obviously the ultimate consequence of what we believe
is an alcohol overdose, so if there's someone who's contributed to
that, they should be held responsible," Saratoga County District Attorney Jim Murphy said.
Interviews with people who may have been at the party are
ongoing, and police would not predict when the investigation will conclude.
Tuesday's discovery came after a full evening and day of search
efforts that involved nearly 50 people and covered about 1,000
acres of undeveloped land between Church Street and Denton Road.
Police said they were drawn to the creek by faint footprints.
They believe Grant could have inadvertently walked into the creek,
known as Putnam Brook. The creek was about 4 feet deep where Grant
was found, an area about 200 yards west of railroad tracks.
Family members, who arrived on Sunday from their home in
Briarcliff Manor, Westchester County, were given the news Tuesday
afternoon. They offered no public comment, but police described
them as being in a state of shock.
"As a parent of a 19-year-old, my heart goes out to the family,"
said Cole, the police chief. "One can only imagine what is going
through their minds right now."
Officials at Boston College, where Grant was a sophomore
economics major, and at Skidmore College also offered statements of
condolences on Tuesday.
Jack Dunn, a spokesman for Boston College, said the college
community "is deeply saddened by the tragic news," and described
Grant as a "gifted and popular student in his class."
"We mourn his passing and request prayers for him and his family
as they deal with this tragic loss," Dunn said.
Susan Kress, acting president at Skidmore College, also said the
campus community was "deeply saddened" by Grant's death.
"This is a grievous loss for two campus communities," she said.

It’s certainly not the ending family, friends and search crews were hoping
for. The body of a 19-year old college student who went missing while
visiting friends in Saratoga Springs Saturday night was found on Tuesday.

Search teams found Alexander Grant submerged in 4-feet of water, tangled in underbrush,
in a creek off of Route 9N in Saratoga.
Now that crews have located Grant's body, those who knew him are left with
more questions than answers. A friend of the teen from his hometown in Westchester County
said, "He never said a bad thing about another person, and always tried
to help people out. He was the type of kid, when he was in the
hallways, he would always help people out."

Grant was a sophomore at Boston College, and investigators say he only stayed at a party with Skidmore friends in Saratoga
for a short time before disappearing Saturday night. But police say,
for the most part, the details of what happened to Grant after the party remain a mystery.

On Tuesday morning, one thing became quite clear - this story would not have a happy ending.

At around 11 a.m. search crews carefully removed Grant's body from the
creek. They say he had a large cut on one foot when he was found.

It took more than two days, and dozens of volunteers to find the missing
teen, and poor weather conditions on Saturday night into Sunday made the
search quite difficult.
People in his hometown say Grant was a reliable person, who would always 'go the extra mile.'

James Kaishian is the principal of the high school Grant attended. Kaishian
said, "While here, Alex was an active and engaged student. He had great
connections with classmates and teachers and a wonderful sense of humor.
He was actively involved in our music program."

The last images of the teen alive were captured on surveillance video cameras at a 3 Care Lane office building in Saratoga. Authorities say the footage shows Grant on tape breaking into the office at 1:15 a.m., and then leaving the building at around 2 a.m. The window he shattered to get inside is still covered with cardboard.

The teen's body was found not far from the office building

Police say aren’t saying much about Grant’s death.

Lt. Greg Veitch said, "We do believe that he had been drinking alcohol
prior him disappearing. We do believe that he was at a house party on Church Street. Beyond that, I wouldn't want to speculate."

The details of what happened to Grant after the party, and before the break-in remain a mystery.
On Tuesday night, Saratoga Police were anxious to find answers, for his family.

Saratoga Springs Police Chief Christopher Cole said, "One can only imagine what
goes through their minds right now having to travel three hours away
when they learned their son was missing. My condolences go out to him, his family."
Saratoga Police are not releasing the exact address of that party on Church St., but do say they're interviewing people who were with him at the house, and people who may have seen him prior to the party.If you have any information that could help police put the pieces of this puzzle together, you're urged to call Saratoga Springs detectives at (518) 584-1800 x526.

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