A man was found dead inside a vehicle outside a polling place in Killingly, Connecticut, early Tuesday. The discovery came less than an hour before voters were expected to begin casting their ballots on Election Day. Officials quickly moved to reassure the public that the death had nothing to do with the election and that voting continued uninterrupted at the site.
State police said troopers responded to 79 Westfield Avenue after a report of an unconscious person inside a vehicle, though accounts differ slightly on the exact timing. According to Patch, troopers arrived around 5:17 a.m. Tuesday, while NBC Connecticut reported the response came around 5:15 a.m. Emergency medical personnel pronounced the man dead at the scene, per the Patch report.
The polling location sits at a Killingly public schools office building, and the discovery came less than an hour before voters were expected to begin casting ballots. Killingly town officials said the incident was unrelated to the election or voting process, and that the polling location remained open to voters, according to NBC Connecticut's report. The station also noted that authorities said there was no ongoing threat to the public following the initial investigation.
No Suspicious Circumstances, Officials Say
Ronnell Higgins said there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, as reported by CT Insider. He did not identify the man or offer further details about what led to his death.
Secretary of the State Stephanie Thomas said her office was informed very quickly after the man was found, according to Cleveland.com. Killingly town officials, per that report, said voting was proceeding as scheduled and that the polling location had reported no issues as of midday Tuesday.
Autopsy Planned, Identity Withheld
As of Tuesday afternoon, police had not released the man's identity, the Patch article notes. The state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner responded to the scene and planned to conduct an autopsy, though the cause of death had not been determined as of the available reporting. The investigation into exactly what happened inside the vehicle before troopers arrived remained open.
For a community already focused on Election Day logistics, the early-morning discovery added an unsettling note to the day of voting. Killingly town officials said voting was proceeding as scheduled and no issues had been reported as of midday Tuesday.
