Rural Alaska

Man found dead in pond in Juneau’s Mendenhall Valley

A man's body was found in a pond near a Juneau bike path Thursday morning, prompting police to ask that locals avoid the area as they investigated.

Juneau police identified the man later Thursday as 55-year-old local Gary Brummitt. His family has been told about the death.

Officers received a report of the discovery just after 11:15 a.m., in a pond on the east side of Mendenhall Loop Road's intersection with Egan Drive. The caller had seen the body while walking along a bike path, then walked to a nearby Fred Meyer store to report the discovery.

"Juneau police officers and medics with Capital City Fire Rescue responded to the intersection and discovered a deceased male partially submerged in the pond," police wrote in a statement. "A wheelchair was found near the male."

No signs of foul play were present, police said.

Brummitt's body will be sent to the State Medical Examiner's Office for an autopsy.

Chris Klint

Chris Klint is a former ADN reporter who covered breaking news.

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