News

Updated: Body Found in Potomac River at Founders Park in Old Town

By James Cullum

(Updated at 5:45 p.m.) — Alexandria Police have determined that the dead man found in the Potomac River on April 5 was a 51-year-old resident of Washington, D.C.

The body of an adult male, whose identity has not been released, was recovered from the Potomac River by the Alexandria Police and Fire Departments in the 300 block of North Union Street.

The man was not out boating, and no boat was recovered, according to police. It is also not clear if the death was accidental or self-inflicted, and how long the body was in the water.

“He was floating through the river against the rocks on the shore and that’s where he was recovered,” police spokesman Lt. Courtney Ballantine told ALXnow. “There is no threat to the public.”

An autopsy is underway, and the investigation is ongoing, Ballantine said.

Photo via Visit Alexandria/Facebook

About the Author

  • Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.