An elderly gentleman passed away at the Mercer Island branch of Umpqua Bank, and his body was found on Oct. 20. Mercer Island Police (MIPD) and Fire (MIFD) Departments confirmed the incident, but are still waiting for an autopsy report from the King County Medical Examiner’s Office to determine the cause of death.
“It was a tragic situation,” said Eve Callahan, a spokesperson for the bank. “Our hearts go out to the family.”
MIPD Detective David Canter said that on Tuesday, Oct. 20, bank employees found a gentleman in a storage room who was deceased. The police initiated an investigation and the Medical Examiner took custody of the body. Canter said he could not release the name of the man but did not believe he was an Island resident.
MIFD Chief Steve Heitman said that the firefighters did not have extensive involvement, but heard that the man had been in the closet since the Friday before, and that the body had been discovered during a new employee orientation. The investigation is ongoing.