Police in London, Ont., are appealing to the public for information after officers say they located the body of a deceased man near an intersection in the city’s SoHo neighbourhood Wednesday morning.
The death is being viewed as suspicious, police said, adding they were called to the scene at the southernmost end of Colborne Street, where it and Nelson Street joins next to the former South Street hospital grounds, around 6:50 a.m.
It was there that they located the deceased in the grass to the south of the roadway, police said. An autopsy is scheduled to take place Thursday. The man’s identity has not been released.
Details remain very limited about the investigation, and police say they will remain on scene throughout the day.
“We are unable to share specific details, but we can say evidence at the scene raises the suspicion of foul play, but at this time nothing has been ruled out,” said London police Cst. Sandasha Bough.
Police tape and evidence markers could be seen along Colborne Street as far north as Simcoe Street, along with what appeared to be a trail of blood. The front porch of a townhouse unit on the southeast corner of Colborne and Simcoe was also taped off by police.
“They came in the morning (and) started blocking things off, and forensics was here within an hour,” said neighbour Tamera Bessette-Penner, who lives up the street from where the body was found.
“I was just getting up this morning and having a coffee and some police officers walked up to my driveway and commented on the blood, which I had just noticed as they were noticing it.”
She said police had been interviewing neighbours along the street, and said she had not heard or seen anything until officers arrived.
Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area for the time being. Police say that more information will be provided “as appropriate” at a later time.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
— With files from Sawyer Bogdan