‘Pokemon Go’ players find corpse in San Diego park
Three women playing “Pokemon Go” and hunting for virtual fictional characters found a dead body Thursday near a creek bed in a San Diego park, police said.
The “Go” players were walking the trails and playing the augmented reality game about 3 p.m. in Marian Bear Memorial Park when they stumbled on the body of a man who had been dead for quite some time, said Officer Travis Easter, spokesman for the San Diego Police Department.
“That’s not a part of the game,” Easter said.
The body was found lying in bushes. Police think the man died of natural causes, and don’t suspect foul play. But his death will be investigated, he said.
Apryl Lopez told KGTV 10 News that she froze when she saw bones, then looked at her sister and friend and said, “I think I just found a dead body.”
So far, some aspects of the game have placed players at risk. Two men playing the game fell off an ocean cliff on Wednesday in Encinitas. Other players have reported being robbed in San Francisco, Lakewood and Antelope, Calif. A “Go” player was even stabbed multiple times by a group of men in an Anaheim park.
But Thursday’s discovery in San Diego could also be the latest indication that the “Pokemon Go” craze is offering “a heck of a twist” for law enforcement, Easter said.
Full coverage: The Pokemon Go craze »
Released last week, the game has already been credited with helping find three bodies, and an attempted-murder suspect.
In Wyoming, a woman searching for a virtual creature found a dead body floating in a river last week. Another player discovered a dead body floating in water in a park on Thursday in New Hampshire.
In Fullerton, two former Marines were credited this week with helping catch a man who was wanted in connection with attempted murder in Sonoma County.
For breaking news in California, follow VeronicaRochaLA on Twitter.
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