Young man killed on south LRT tracks was wearing earbuds, police say
'He probably didn't hear [the train] until the last second, and it cost him his life, unfortunately'
A young man listening to music on earbuds was struck and killed Friday while crossing the LRT tracks near 115A Street and 60th Avenue, police say.
Police said the 22-year-old waited for a southbound LRT to clear the intersection, then unknowingly stepped in front of a northbound train.
"He probably didn't hear [the train] until the last second, and it cost him his life, unfortunately," Insp. Erik Johnson told reporters at the scene.
The man died instantly.
The driver sounded the train's air horn several times and was trying to slow down just before the man was struck, Johnson said.
Edmonton city manager Linda Cochrane said everything was working at the LRT station and the current police investigation believes this was an accident.
There were between 75 and 100 passengers on the train at the time. None of them were injured.
Cochrane said the incident is "very tragic" and assured witnesses that support services would become available for the witnesses.
"The most important message today is to the friends and the family of the person that was lost today is you have the City of Edmonton's deepest condolences," she said in a press conference.
Edmonton Transit said LRT service is running between the Southgate and Century Park stations, and between South Campus and Clareview.
