Police in Los Angeles have now confirmed that the body found on Venice Beach is that of Shad Gaspard, the former WWE wrestler who was caught in a rip tide while swimming with his son last weekend.
According to multiple reports Gaspard’s body washed up on Venice Beach, three days after he was swept out to sea while swimming with his 10-year-old son, Aryeh.
The Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) and the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) were called to the scene early Wednesday morning after two people discovered a body on the sand halfway between Venice Beach pier and lifeguard headquarters at 1.25am.
‘The decedent was identified as Shad Gaspard and next of kin was notified,’ LAPD said in a statement. Gaspard, 39, had been missing since Sunday afternoon.
The wrestler reportedly told lifeguards to rescue his son first, who was pulled from the water in good condition and did not require hospitalization.
But lifeguards were unable to rescue Gaspard, who was about 50 yards offshore when a ‘wave crashed over’ him and pulled him out into the ocean.
“When last seen by the lifeguard, a wave had crashed over Mr Shad Gaspard and he was swept out to sea,” Los Angeles police said in a statement on Monday.
Video footage taken on Wednesday morning shows authorities surrounding the wrestler’s lifeless body on the sand.
Gaspard’s wife Siliana Gaspard was also seen leading a small group of family and friends near the site where her husband’s body washed up on shore at about 2am.
Actor and former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson paid tribute to Gaspard in a tweet on Wednesday. “My prayers and hope for Shad Gaspard’s wife, son and family during this unthinkable time. Man, this is a tough one. A really tough one. Great guy,” he wrote.
Gaspard gained prominence in the WWE as one half of the tag-team group Cryme Time, along with his partner, JTG.
After retiring from the WWE in 2010, Gaspard has had small roles on TV and in movies, including the 2015 Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard. He also worked as a bodyguard for stars such as Britney Spears and Mike Tyson prior to his wrestling career.
