The cause of a 68 year-old man’s death in Arlington Heights — at the scene where a large police presence piqued the interested of many Arlington Heights residents and passers by — was released early Friday, September 16, 2022. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that a man who died on Thomas Street near Dryden Avenue on Wednesday was dead from suicide caused by a gunshot wound of the head. The location was the subject of a death investigation with a large police presence on Wednesday, September 14, 2022 from about 2:30 p.m. until about 6:30 p.m. The investigation was immediately underway following the man’s death. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office reported Thursday, September 15, 2022 that a 68 year-old male died in the block of 1000 East Thomas Street in Arlington Heights at 2:27 p.m. The man was pronounced dead about 18 minutes after paramedics were dispatched to the location. Police did not release information about the investigation or the police activity that occurred Wednesday afternoon.
The reason for the lack of information from the police department apparently the result of police activity being connected to the sensitive subject. Many police departments do not release information regarding suicides unless the incident involves the killing of another person before a suicide, or a suicide with a connection to a larger public news report. A large police presence near the intersection of Thomas Street and Dryden Avenue in Arlington Heights was a concern of many residents who had no official information about the reason for the police response.
Witnesses reported about 10 police vehicles were at the scene about 3:00 p.m., and then about seven police vehicles remained until around 6:45 p.m.
Police and firefighter/paramedics from Arlington Heights responded about 2:09 p.m. Wednesday, September 14, 2022 to a report of a man down and unresponsive in the block of 1000 East Thomas Street in Arlington Heights.
A full fire department EMS response used for life-threatening incidents was assigned to the single-family home on the north side of Thomas Street near Dryden Avenue.
Later in the afternoon a large number of police units responded for an investigation at the house. A nurse or other medical professional also responded to the scene.
Some police officers were wearing attire, such as booties, gloves, and masks to protect evidence. As of 6:15 p.m. neither of the large crime scene vans from either the Arlington Heights Police Department or the Major Case Assistance Team were at the scene. Police cleared the scene entirely by 6:45 p.m.
No crime scene perimeter tape was visible from the street, and there definitely did not appear to be any existing threat at or near the scene.
The investigation appeared to be an abundance-of-caution investigation, but there was initially nothing known to observers nearby regarding what might have triggered an extraordinary investigation.
For example, unexpected death investigations, and even a recent stabbing investigation at a townhouse near Lake Arlington have not resulted in a police response this large.
No alerts or police activity/incident status explanations were posted on Arlington Heights Police Department social media as of 2:50 p.m. Friday, September 16, 2022.
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