NORTHAMPTON — Police investigators spent much of the day Thursday investigating what the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office later termed an unattended death in the vicinity of the Northampton Elks Lodge No. 997 in Florence.
According to a Thursday morning post on the Elks lodge Facebook page, a “tragic incident” occurred in the lodge parking lot. The property was closed off to normal business for much of the day.
The district attorney’s office revealed no further information on the incident, but said Thursday evening there was no threat to the public.
Three police vehicles were present at the Elks Lodge on Thursday morning, and the property was roped off with yellow police tape.
A Northampton Police cruiser and a Northampton Police Crime Scene Services van were stationed in front of the entrance to the Elks at 17 Spring St., while a second cruiser was parked in the section of the parking lot adjacent to Pine Street at around 9:30 a.m.
Police vacated the scene shortly after 3:50 p.m. Police at the scene declined to comment.
The Elks told the Gazette that the lodge and membership are under no threat from the incident.
The district attorney’s office said that the state medical examiner will determine the cause of death. The office also said that the unattended death is being investigated by the Northampton Police Department and Massachusetts State Police.
Jacquelyn Voghel can be reached at jvoghel@gazettenet.com. Bera Dunau can be reached at bdunau@gazettenet.com