A quiet retention pond near Tampa's busy International Plaza turned into the focus of a death investigation Monday morning after police recovered a man's body from the water in the airport-area Westshore district. Authorities have not yet released the victim's name or the official cause of death.
Police response and recovery
According to a City of Tampa news release, officers were called to the 2200 block of N. Westshore Boulevard at 7:51 a.m. for a report of a person in the water. Members of the Tampa Police Dive Team entered the retention pond and recovered the body of an adult Black male.
Detectives are working to confirm his identity and notify next of kin. The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner’s Office will determine the official cause and manner of death, which will shape where the investigation goes next.
Investigation ongoing
FOX 13 Tampa Bay reported that investigators remained on scene for hours, documenting the area and gathering evidence around the pond, which sits next to the International Plaza shopping complex. The probe is still in its early stages, and authorities have not said whether they suspect foul play.
Similar discovery earlier this year
This is not the first time in recent months that a body has been pulled from a Westshore retention pond. Local coverage highlighted a separate recovery on Jan. 5 that also involved a dive-team response. See coverage of that earlier pond discovery and the City of Tampa's January notice for additional background on that case.
Investigators have not linked the two incidents and say that exploring any possible connection would fall under a broader inquiry. Officials emphasize that it is still very early in the current investigation and that more information will be released as evidence is processed and the Medical Examiner completes its review.
This article will be updated when Tampa police or the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner provide additional details.
