Charleston police are asking for the public’s help in locating 19-year-old College of Charleston student Owen Tillman Kenney, who has been missing since the early morning hours of Halloween. Investigators say Kenney was last seen by friends near campus before walking alone onto the Ravenel Bridge pedestrian walkway.
The Charleston Police Department confirmed that Kenney was last seen by his friends around 2 a.m. on October 31. Detectives later verified that he was observed entering the Ravenel Bridge pedestrian path at approximately 3 a.m., shortly after he left the group. The department also noted that his phone’s final signal was recorded in the same area.
“His cell phone’s last recorded location was also on the Ravenel Bridge around that same time,” Charleston Police said in an update shared on Tuesday, November 4.
Timeline Of Disappearance
According to authorities, Kenney was with friends near the College of Charleston before he departed on his own. Around an hour later, he was seen on the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge walkway, a popular pedestrian route connecting downtown Charleston and Mount Pleasant, at roughly 3 a.m.
Detectives have corroborated the timeline with the device data and visual confirmation. The convergence of Kenney’s last known sighting and the final phone location on the bridge has shaped the focus of the ongoing search efforts.
Initial reports described Kenney wearing a green-and-white Boston Celtics Halloween costume when he was last seen by friends. However, police clarified in a subsequent update that new evidence confirms he was actually wearing a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants, and black Nike sneakers with white soles at the time he was last observed.
Search Efforts And Campus Response
Kenney was reported missing on November 1, one day after he was last seen. In a November 4 statement, the College of Charleston’s Department of Public Safety said, “CofC Public Safety personnel are working diligently to share with Charleston Police any information that may be helpful in the search.”
The college further stated, “At this time, there is no reason to believe that there is any danger to the campus community in relation to this case.” Officials emphasized that campus operations continue as normal while they support law enforcement’s investigation.
Charleston Police have deployed extensive resources, including K9 units, drones, and an underwater recovery team, to canvass the area around the bridge and other relevant locations. Detectives are also coordinating with the FBI and the New Jersey State Police, reflecting interagency collaboration as the case spans multiple jurisdictions connected to Kenney’s background.
Authorities continue to request assistance from anyone who may have been in the vicinity of the Ravenel Bridge walkway during the overnight hours of October 31 into the morning of November 1. Even small details or observations could help investigators track Kenney’s movements and narrow the search area.
How The Public Can Help
Police have released a physical description to aid identification. Kenney is described as a white male, 6 feet 1 inch tall, weighing approximately 155 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. At the time he was last confirmed seen, he was wearing a black hooded jacket, light-colored pants, and black Nike sneakers with white soles.
Anyone with information related to Kenney’s whereabouts, or who may have seen him on or near the Ravenel Bridge pedestrian walkway around 3 a.m. on October 31, is urged to contact the Charleston Police Department. Tips can be crucial in filling gaps in the timeline and guiding search teams to the most relevant areas.
Background On The Missing Student
Before enrolling at the College of Charleston, Kenney graduated from Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey. That connection has brought the New Jersey State Police into the investigative loop as Charleston authorities coordinate with law enforcement partners beyond South Carolina.
As the search continues, police are prioritizing verifiable leads and confirmed sightings. The change in reported attire—from a Celtics-themed Halloween costume to a black jacket and light pants—has become a key detail, and authorities encourage anyone with security camera footage or contemporaneous observations from Halloween night to share them with investigators.
Charleston Police say updates will be provided as new information becomes available. For now, the department’s focus remains on pinpointing Kenney’s movements after he left his friends and was seen on the Ravenel Bridge walkway, and on encouraging community members to come forward with any information that could aid in locating him.
This is a developing situation. Screen Rant will continue to monitor official statements from the Charleston Police Department and the College of Charleston’s Department of Public Safety as the investigation progresses.
