City police said they are investigating a death Tuesday evening at Willand Pond.
The identity of the deceased man was not immediately released. He was “found in the water near the northern shore of the pond,” police said in a press release, noting the response came at 6:46 p.m.
An autopsy was scheduled to determine cause of death, police said, adding details were being withheld while next of kin are notified.
Somersworth police Capt. Matt Duval said an autopsy was performed Wednesday morning, but police had not immediately received results.
“We may release the identity later today,” Duval said. “Right now, we are working with the next of kin. We have identified him. He is local to the area, a person known to police.”
Duval said police are not yet sure if the person who died was homeless. Homeless encampments have been common in woods near the pond, though police made efforts to clear them out.
“That’s part of our investigation, to look at where he might have been living,” Duval said.
There is no indication of any threat of danger to the public in connection with the incident, police said.
“Anytime there is a body of water, people like to go there, to get away from the city a bit,” Duval said. “People use the area for recreation, and for the most part it is safe and a nice place to be. Unfortunately, those areas are also locations of drug activity and assaults. We know that, but do not have a lot of problems there.”
Somersworth police were joined by the Somersworth Fire Department, New Hampshire State Police and Stewart’s Ambulance Service in responding to the report of a person in the water, believed to be deceased. The state medical examiner’s office also assisted.