Man found dead near Alma Mater statue on University of Illinois campus identified
URBANA, Ill. - A Champaign man found dead on the University of Illinois Urbana campus has been identified, and police said the death appears to have been accidental.
U. of Illinois campus death
University of Illinois Police Department officers were dispatched to the area of Green and Wright streets in Urbana at about 6:42 a.m. Monday after receiving reports of an unresponsive person near the Alma Mater statue.
Sculptor Lorado Taft's bronze Alma Mater statue on the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus. (Michael Tercha/Chicago Tribune/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Officers found 29-year-old Alex C. Rodriguez on a concrete bench. They assessed him and requested emergency medical assistance.
Rodriguez was pronounced dead at the scene by the Champaign County Coroner’s Office. He was not affiliated with the University of Illinois.
What they're saying:
Police said preliminary information indicates there was no foul play involved and that Rodriguez’s death is believed to have been accidental. There were no signs of foul play.
Based on the information available when officers were called, there was no evidence of an ongoing threat to the campus community, so an Illini-Alert notification was not issued.
What's next:
An autopsy has been scheduled. Police and the coroner continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Rodriguez’s death.
Police said additional details will be released as appropriate.
The Source: The information in this story came from the University of Illinois Police Department and the Champaign County Coroner’s Office.