Metropolitan Police Department officials are investigating the death of Benjamin Koomen, a genetic diagnostic laboratory supervisor who was found near Meridian Hill Park on Sunday morning. Koomen, 34, died at 3:30 p.m. on August 9 as a result of injuries he sustained, which DCist first glossed after a reader discovered blood at the park. MPD Assistant Chief Diane Groomes said that the cause of death has not been determined and that police are still awaiting results of both the autopsy and an ongoing investigation by the homicide unit. Police in the Public Information office, however, said investigators have ruled out foul play. Koomen's friends and coworkers have reacted to this unexpected tragedy with an outpouring of sadness and grief. One friend describes him as an exceptionally bright person who should not have died as he did, while others have flooded his Facebook page with notes of remembrance. No doubt, the lingering questions about how his death came to pass have only compounded that grief.
Ben Koomen, courtesy his Facebook page
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This really is tragic given the sudden nature of it, and that it was in the middle of the afternoon on a beautiful summer Sunday. My heart goes out to the friends and family of the victim, and hopefully they get some closure.
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Now on to the MPD:
Uh, the dude was seen staggering down the street while pouring out blood from wounds... how was foul play not involved here? If he had fallen out of a tree or something, wouldn't he / someone else have called the cops? Obviously he felt the need to leave the park for some important reason.
At least the MPD is equal opportunity in being worthless.
Now who's making false assumptions? Isn't it quite possible he injured himself while falling or something similar? No need to blame MPD...yet.
Actually, PoP actually got a statement from an MPD chief who stated that the decedent was intoxicated, fell, and hit his head.
At least PoP does some basic follow-up on what they post. http://www.princeofpetworth.com/2009/08/meridian-hill-incident-update-from-mpd-cmdr-diane-groomes/
Hi deesee: I spoke with several people at MPD. The information I got from Assistant Chief Groomes about the homicide investigation and autopsy came after she had already posted information about the incident to the listserv, which is the info PoP got. No one at MPD or Parks Police has told me yet how or whether they knew he was intoxicated, but I'll update when I know.
Though Prince got the info over email, not from the listserv, as he mentions in his post.
How in the world could they have ruled out foul play already?
Similarly, doesn't an ongoing homicide investigation contradict any statement that they have ruled out foul play?
No foul play? I suspect he fell really hard onto a knife or bullet then. Perhaps a terrible unicorn accident of some kind?
Bravo MPD.
Yes, this does sound fishy - a healthy 34 year old does not typically trip over a crack in the sidewalk, hit their head and die from the injury. A bike accident could be fatal if he wasn't wearing a helmet. It's pure speculation, of course, but could have been someone hit him in the head with a blunt object. Hopefully a full investigation will still take place; perhaps an autopsy will reveal further information? In the meantime, my thoughts go out to the friends and family. :(
It can occur if the 34 year old is intoxicated, however.
Natasha Richardson bumped her head slightly while skiing and died. If you're drunk and trip and hit your head on the sidewalk, surely it is possible. I know it can be comparing apples and oranges, but strange things do happen.
Everyone calm down. Speculation = rampant. Knife, head, stomach, trip, fall, attack, drunk, sober... There is enough going on here that Truman Capote would have a field day. Wait on the facts. In any event, this is sad.
there certainly are a lot of armchair second-guessers on this site...
CONCUR. At least on this post.
It was the Mr. Green, in the Library, with the Pipe!
Noooo, it was Zombie Aliens, in Space, with the Exsanguination Ray.
Good grief, there are a lot of really lazy posters out there! Someone went to the effort of posting a link to more information and no one even bothered to read it.
MPD investigated and found that the victim was intoxicated and stumbled and hit his head in Meridian Hill Park. Surely most DCist readers know that this park has many stone retaining walls, steps, and benches which could cause injury. Based on information provided by known associates, MPD has learned that the victim had been drinking at a neighborhood establishment. MPD is investigating the possible liability of that establishment.
Just because they've ruled out stabbing, shooting, or assault, which is fairly easy to determine by simple observation, doesn't mean they've completed their investigation.
I'm no fan of MPD but this event has been blown way out of proportion by fearmongerers.
Hi charliegal: When I asked Groomes about the cause of death, she explained that that has yet to be determined, as they are waiting on the results from the autopsy and further investigation by the homicide unit. Which is not the same as a homicide investigation, exactly. It seems plausible that a drunk person could fall and do themselves real harm at that park -- but it hasn't been confirmed yet that this is what happened.
Precisely.
This crime did not happen in the daytime. Ben was found unconscious before six AM. And just so you know, he was loved by everyone who knew him. The insulting tone, unfounded assumptions, and cruelty of the comments posted are unbelievably callous. Could you please assume the innocence of the victim for a minute? I just pray his mom, dad, and brothers NEVER see the ugly and mean-spirited comments on this blog.
Wait, this WAS a crime?
Ben was a great guy and I'll always smile when I think of him and the fun things we did together.
He was friendly and inclusive. I've never met anyone who didn't immediately take to him.
He was funny. I have a video of him running in this giant blow-up suit, his halloween costume last year. Ben running in that suit was hilarious.
He was thoughtful and generous. I was at his house often and he always made it feel like mine.
It was always a pleasure to see Ben because I knew that he would instantly make me feel comfortable and included.
I know that everyone who knew Ben and reads about him here remembers him fondly and knows what a tragedy this is. If you did not know Ben, please be compassionate and give him the benefit of the doubt. No one knows what happened, but his friends know that the official explanation is extremely unlikely. I know that Ben would have extended that compassion to you, too.
So wait, what are you saying? That what actually happened is different from what the reports say?
I support these ideas that have been circulated. Isn't that what these posts are for? To have an open dialogue?
All you haters spouting insults to those who post "assumptions" and are "armchair second-guesses" go find another outlet to put other people down.
You sound extremely lame and insecure with yourselves.
You need to redefine what an "insult" is.
Hey, go fuck yourself = insult.
Hey, slow down a minute, let's wait for the facts = not an insult. Not sure what it is, exactly, other than perhaps an observation.
And "extremely lame" and "insecure" are not appropriate adjectives to be using in this context. It's called a dictionary - go look up what they mean before you use them in a post(see, now that's an insult).
Nice bear, btw.
See, thats what I mean.
Why do you feel the need to insult (yes, I said it, and I didn't need a dictionary to help me) strangers? It really is just weird to me . . . people are so mean to each other on this site, including you.
Why?
Per the autopsy report, Ben's death was found to be accidental, the result of a bleed in his brain. Though the details remain unclear, it's surely a comfort to those who loved him that he did not meet a violent end.