A 71-year-old Shelby man was struck and killed by a train Wednesday morning at the Buffalo Street railroad crossing, according to Shelby Police. Ervin Canipe was found dead at the scene after officers responded to a call that came in just before 9 a.m.
Call Came In at 8:46 a.m.
Shelby Police Chief Brad Fraser said the call came in at 8:46 a.m. at the Buffalo Street railroad crossing, as reported by the Shelby Star. Fire department and emergency medical services also responded to the scene, according to the same report. Canipe lived in the neighborhood, Fraser said.
Wednesday's death marks the second time this year that someone has been killed by a train in Shelby, the Shelby Star noted. In July, 28-year-old Kings Mountain woman McKenzie Coleman was struck and killed near West Gold Street, per the same account.
A Statewide Pattern of Rail Deaths
Shelby's loss comes amid a string of similar tragedies across North Carolina. On Sept. 11, 22-year-old Mackenzie Gilliam was struck and killed by a train near the Powell Drive crossing in Raleigh after leaving an NC State football game, according to WRAL. Police said Gilliam was struck around 8:45 p.m. as two trains were passing each other in the area, WRAL reported.
That Raleigh death has reignited scrutiny of long-stalled safety upgrades near Powell Drive. A 2016 railroad-crossing study recommended building a bridge there, with an estimated cost of $44 million, WRAL reported. The project has not yet scored high enough to receive available funding through the state's Transportation Improvement Program, according to the outlet.
It is unclear whether any safety improvements are planned or funded for the Buffalo Street crossing where Canipe died. The circumstances of how he came onto or was crossing the tracks, and whether the crossing signals were operating at the time, have not been detailed by authorities.
