Jacob Nitkiewicz, 31, was found dead of a gunshot wound in the early hours of May 9, 2026, at Flint Creek Water Park in Wiggins, Mississippi. He had been fishing at the park’s 650-acre lake and was discovered around 1 a.m.; first responders arrived shortly after 1:20 a.m. The Stone County Coroner described the shooting as appearing to be a tragic accident. The Wiggins Police Department and the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation opened an inquiry, and officials said they believed the incident was isolated with no ongoing threat to visitors.

Nitkiewicz lived in Gulfport and was remembered as a devoted husband to his wife Mackenzi and father to their young daughter, Emersyn Grace. He recently returned from his honeymoon and had just been promoted to management at Delta Tire World. He enjoyed fishing, camping, hiking, and shared hobbies with his family, including collecting Pokémon cards. No arrests or suspects have been announced and details about who fired the weapon or how the shooting occurred have not been released.

If anyone was at Flint Creek Water Park that night or has information about what happened, please come forward.