SEATTLE — Seattle Fire crews pulled a body from Union Bay next to Husky Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Crews got the call around noon that a man was found unresponsive and floating near a dock off the Ship Canal Trail, near the ASUW Shell House.
When rescuers pulled the man from the water, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Visitors continued to pour into the busy waterfront area at the University of Washington, surprised to see police, fire, and the medical examiner were already there.
“When I saw the scuba divers and the firefighters, I said, ‘They could be looking for a body,’” Sherry Catlett, who was visiting with her daughter, said. “I didn’t really think that is what it was; I just said they could be looking for a body because of the shows I watch on TV.”
Catlett’s grim assumption turned out to be right. KIRO 7 crews spotted Seattle fire scuba divers canvassing the area while investigators looked over the man on one of the docks.
“We noticed when we came in there were a lot of police cars, fire trucks,” Celia Kosman, who had hoped to swim in the area with some family and friends, said. “Just a lot of things we are not used to seeing over here. We thought they were just preparing for the fireworks that are going to happen, but I guess it was more serious.”
There is no word yet on how the man died, how long he was in the water or how he got there.
“It’s just scary, you know what I mean? Thinking about the person,” Catlett said. “That’s somebody’s parent, dad, uncle, aunt or child.”
Seattle police said it is now up to the medical examiner to determine the cause of death.
Seattle police report no foul play was involved.
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