An unidentified man was found dead hanging near Dodger Stadium on Wednesday evening while the Los Angeles Dodgers played a home game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Officers responded to the scene at approximately 8:48 p.m. local time following a 911 call from a witness who reported seeing a body hanging "in plain sight" from a bridge off Bernard Street and Stadium Way, just a few hundred yards from the ballpark.
A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) told the California Post that investigators do not suspect foul play, though an investigation into the death remains ongoing. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner added that the matter remains "pending identification and legal next of kin."
Dodger Stadium, located in the Elysian Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, serves as the home ballpark for the Dodgers. The venue sits adjacent to major thoroughfares near downtown Los Angeles, including Stadium Way, which carries fan traffic to and from Major League Baseball contests.
Discovery during Major League Baseball game
The discovery occurred while thousands of spectators were inside the venue for the evening matchup. The game between the Dodgers and the Cardinals began at 7:10 p.m. and concluded at around 10:10 p.m., meaning the body was discovered roughly two hours after the first pitch.
Major League Baseball (MLB) is the top professional baseball organization in North America, featuring 30 clubs divided between the National League and American League. The Dodgers lead the National League West division, while the St. Louis Cardinals are a long-standing National League team based in Missouri.
On the field, the Dodgers suffered an 8-6 defeat to the Cardinals in extra innings. Los Angeles held leads of 3-0, 5-2 and 5-4 before St. Louis tied the game in the eighth inning. Báez doubled off Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott and scored on a sacrifice fly by Alec Burleson.
Dodgers slump continues in extra innings
Los Angeles brought the potential winning run to third base in the ninth inning. Teoscar Hernandez hit a ground-rule double and advanced on a wild pitch by Justin Bruihl, but pinch-hitter Kike Hernandez struck out and pinch-hitter Will Smith flied out to end the threat. Bruihl improved to 1-1 with the win.
St. Louis secured the win in the 10th inning after Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani struck out with an automatic runner on third base. The strikeout was Ohtani's fourth consecutive strikeout of the evening, marking the first time this season that the designated hitter has struck out four times in a single game.
With Wednesday's loss, the National League West-leading Dodgers have now lost six of their past eight games. Ohtani, a two-time Most Valuable Player who joined Los Angeles ahead of the season, continues to lead the Dodgers offensive lineup despite the team's recent difficult stretch.
Anyone in need of support can contact the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States by calling or texting 988. Free and confidential assistance is also available online via chat at 988lifeline.org.
