- Credibility:
WICKER PARK — A man in his early 30’s was found dead in Wicker Park’s namesake park early Friday, according to police and witnesses.
At about 6:57 a.m. Friday, a man was unresponsive in the park and pronounced dead in the 1400 block of North Damen Avenue, said Officer Laura Amezaga, a Chicago Police spokeswoman.
No further information is available and police are investigating, Amezaga said.
Tandem Rodriguez, who frequently hangs out in the park, made the 911 call to authorities shortly after finding the man.
Rodriguez said he looked at the man’s face to see if he recognized him but he didn’t. He thought he was sleeping, but his face looked a little too pale, Rodriguez said.
“I nudged his foot, to see if he would respond. He didn’t . … That’s when I made the call,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez said that another park regular who had been in the park most of the night had spotted the same man sitting near the fountain around 3 a.m. Friday, so it’s unclear when he died.
“It’s very sad,” Rodriguez said.
Credit: Alisa Hauser/Block Club Chicago
