UPDATE: Man died from “self-initiated” fall at Valencia apt. complex

A sheriff's deputy talks on the phone as he walks out of a trash enclosure at the Bridgeport Coast apartments in Valencia on March 13, 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal
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A homicide detective investigating the death of a man found on the blood-stained sidewalk of an apartment complex in Valencia Monday is calling the death “self-initiated.”

The victim was described as an Hispanic male in his early 20’s by Lt. Larry Dietz of the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Department.

The young man was seen by several witnesses at the Bridgeport Coast Apartments on Newhall Ranch Road at McBean Parkway climbing on top of a roof at the complex.

“There were lots of witnesses at the complex who saw him alone, walking around and actually climbing up onto the roof from the opposing side of the building,” Sgt. Tim O’Quinn, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s Homicide Bureau, told The Signal late Tuesday afternoon.

“I don’t know if he fell off the roof or jumped off the roof,” he said. “It’s actually whatever the coroner rules.

“Nobody else was up there,” O’Quinn said, referring to the roof.  “In my opinion it was self-initiated.  Reasons as to why are still unclear.”

Homicide detectives took over the case of a man found lying on a sidewalk around puddles of blood in Valencia Monday after the victim died later in the hospital.

 

A sheriff’s deputy talks on the phone as he walks out of a trash enclosure at the Bridgeport Coast apartments in Valencia on March 13, 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal

“We were informed that the man died in hospital,” Sgt. Dan Peacock with the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station told The Signal shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday.

“It’s now being handled by homicide detectives,” he said, noting the man is believed to have died sometime after 7 p.m. Monday.

The man was found on the sidewalk shortly after 2:45 p.m. Monday at the southwest corner of Newhall Ranch Road and McBean Parkway.

Paramedics were dispatched at 2:53 p.m. to the 24100 block of Newhall Ranch Road based on reports of a “man down” and bleeding.

“This call came in as a man down with blood coming from his mouth,” Inspector Joey Marron of the Los Angeles County Fire Department told The Signal Tuesday morning.

“The patient was taken to Henry Mayo (Newhall) Hospital,” Marron said.

 

Deputies immediately set up a perimeter around the area, roping off access with yellow police tape.

“We responded to a medical rescue call and found an injured gentleman,” Lt. Ignacio Somoano told The Signal late Monday afternoon.

“He was found on the sidewalk,” Somoano said.

Several deputies scoured the area for clues and information in an effort to understand what happened.

“They did a little barricading with the vehicles to stop anyone seeing the body,” Sean Sather, a witness to the investigation, said, describing the blood as three puddles the size of shoe boxes.

More than 18 hours after the man’s body was found, the area remained cordoned off while deputies searched the area.

“Detectives were up on the roof,” Sather said.

 

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on Twitter @jamesarthurholt

 

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