Ben Koomen, courtesy his Facebook page

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.