SEATTLE — Seattle police detectives are investigating a man's death as a homicide after his body was found on a University District street Monday morning.
Firefighters were called to the scene in the 4500 block of University Way Northeast in front of the Target store at about 4:30 a.m. after getting a report of a person being down at a bus stop in that block.
Seattle police were called after it was determined the man was dead.
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As detectives investigated, they discovered that earlier, the victim was at the scene of a fight with several other men in the same location. Police said the victim appeared to have been assaulted.
Investigators don't yet know if there is a connection between the earlier fight and the man’s death.
The Seattle police crime scene investigation unit arrived at about 6:30 a.m. University Way Northeast was closed between NE 45th and NE 47th streets for several hours but has since reopened.
Tim Doub was walking along The Ave not far from his University District home. He says he was out after midnight and happened to notice what was going on at this bus stop.
"There was somebody sitting on the ground and then there was another man that was face down like, like passed out or kind of sleeping on the bench," said Doub. "I'm not sure. I didn't go to try to wake him up."
Initial reports were that a man was "down" at this bus stop. Seattle Fire arrived and medics quickly determined that the man was dead. So they called Seattle police.
Anyone with information about the man's death is asked to contact the Seattle Police Department tip line at (206) 233–5000.