JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The newly elected mayor of Alaska’s capital city was found dead at his Juneau home, and police are investigating a range of possible causes.
The Juneau Police Department released few details on the death of Stephen “Greg” Fisk, 70, but called rumors of an assault “speculation.” Fisk’s adult son found his body Monday and alerted authorities, police said in a statement.
An attack is “one of the possibilities out there, but there’s others that could have happened,” Police Chief Bryce Johnson told the Juneau Empire newspaper. “There could’ve been a fall. There’s lots of things that would cause it.”
He noted there was no evidence of forced entry into Fisk’s home. No other details on the circumstances surrounding Fisk’s death were released
“Detectives are actively investigating facts of the incident, and all evidence is being preserved and documented,” the police statement said.
Fisk, a fisheries consultant, handily defeated incumbent Merrill Sanford in the October election to become mayor. An autopsy will be performed to determine his cause of death.
Deputy Mayor Mary Becker was named acting mayor, the Juneau Empire reported.
“I think this was a terrible day for all of Juneau,” said Jill Ramiel, Downtown Business Association president. “He was never afraid to say what he thought.”
Fisk’s campaign chairman, Bob King, said his potential as a mayor was starting to show. “For that potential to be snuffed out is just a crushing loss.”
As police prepared to remove his body, a small crowd started placing candles in the center of a public sculpture, the newspaper reported.
“That makes me feel better,” D.J. Thomson said after lighting the candles in Fisk’s memory.
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