to his family and on behalf of the State of Minnesota, we thank him for his many years of selfless service."

The Pine County Sheriff's Office reported that anglers on shore reported a possible body in the waters of Cross Lake at about 7:45 p.m. Wynn and several Pine County sheriff's deputies responded to the scene, but were not able to determine what the object was from shore.

"The conservation officer got his boat and he and a deputy launched it into Cross Lake," the sheriff's office reported in a news release. "Within a minute of leaving the launch both officers were thrown from the boat into the water. They began swimming towards shore and additional deputies procured a rowboat from a neighboring property and attempted to rescue the officersin the water."

The rescuers were able to reach the deputy in the water, but Wynn slipped beneath the surface of the lake before they could reach him. His body was recovered from the lake at about 1:35 a.m. Saturday.

The injured deputy was treated for "temperature-related injuries" at a hospital in Mora, Minn., and later released, the sheriff's office reported.

The incident remains under investigation, and authorities said an autopsy will be conducted. The sheriff's office said searchers have not found the object in the lake that prompted the initial call, and there are no reports of anyone missing.

Pine County officials declined further comment on Saturday.

Wynn is survived by a wife and two children. The DNR said he is the 22nd Minnesota conservation officer to die in the line of