A man in his 50s was killed by a train in Minneapolis early Saturday after witnesses told police he fell onto the tracks while apparently trying to place a penny on a rail.
The unusual circumstances surrounding the deadly incident are now under investigation as authorities work to determine exactly what happened in the moments before the man was struck.
Minneapolis police responded around 1 a.m. Saturday to the area of Northeast 14th Avenue and Quincy Street in northeast Minneapolis.
When officers arrived, they found a train stopped at the crossing and discovered a man on the ground suffering from injuries consistent with being struck by the train.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities have not publicly released the man’s identity.
Witnesses told investigators the man had been walking home when he attempted to place a penny on one of the railroad tracks and apparently lost his footing, falling onto the rails.
That account remains part of the police investigation and should not yet be considered a final determination of what caused the fatal incident.
BNSF Railway separately confirmed that one person was struck and killed at the crossing at approximately 1:23 a.m.
No members of the train crew were injured.
The railroad said the crossing was equipped with gates, flashing warning lights and bells. According to BNSF, all of those safety systems were operating properly when the collision occurred.
Investigators have not announced any indication that a mechanical problem with the train or a malfunction at the crossing contributed to the death.
Police also have not said whether alcohol, impairment or any other factor may have played a role.
The bizarre report involving the penny is likely to become a key part of the investigation, but authorities have not disclosed how close the train was when the man allegedly approached the rail or whether investigators have obtained surveillance footage of the incident.
Railroad tracks can pose a serious danger even when a train may initially appear to be far away.
The Federal Railroad Administration warns pedestrians to cross tracks only at designated crossings and never stop or linger on railroad tracks. Federal officials note that trains cannot maneuver around someone in their path and can require more than a mile to come to a complete stop at highway speeds.
The agency also warns that people can misjudge the speed and distance of an approaching train because of its size and perspective.
That makes stepping onto or lingering around active tracks particularly dangerous, regardless of whether crossing lights or gates are functioning normally.
For now, investigators are attempting to reconstruct the man’s final moments and determine whether the witness account accurately explains how he ended up in the path of the train.
His name is expected to be released after authorities complete the identification process and notify his family.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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