Body of Chicago School Board President Found in River

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Body of Chicago School Board President Found in River
Monday, November 16, 2009
FOX News

CHICAGO — Police have found what is believed to be the body of the Chicago School Board president floating in the Chicago River, MyFoxChicago.com reported.

Michael Scott reportedly disappeared from his Chicago home on Sunday.

Emergency responders pulled the body out of the river at 4:30 a.m. local time Monday, after receiving a tip, Chicago Fire Media Affairs spokesman Joe Roccasalva told MyFoxChicago.com.

Chicago Public Schools could not be reached for comment, MyFoxChicago.com reported.

[dan9999]

Body of Michael Scott, Chicago School Board President, Found
16 Nov 2009, 5:39 AM CST
MyFOXChicago.com

Chicago - The body of Chicago School Board president Michael Scott was found floating in the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart early Monday in the River North neighborhood, police said.

Police said Chicago School Board President Michael W. Scott was reported missing from his home in the Monroe police district on the Near West Side in Chicago Sunday and police believe the body pulled from the river was likely him.

Fire crews arrived about 3:20 a.m. to recover the dead body floating in the canal of the river near 350 N. Orleans St., Fire Media Affairs spokesman Joe Roccasalva said.

Police said Scott had been reportedly missing from his home Sunday and his car was found early Monday around the same time his body was pulled out of the water.

The body is that of a man, according to Police News Affairs Officer Amina Greer, who said the call came in at 3:15 a.m. The body was recovered as of 4:30 a.m., according to police News Affairs Officer Hector Alfaro.

The Cook County Medical Examiner¹s Office confirmed the body is an unidentified man, black, in his 50s, although the body had not arrived as of 6 a.m. His car was found near the river around the same time his body was found, police said.

Cook County Board President Todd H. Stroger released a statement in an email Monday morning regarding Scott¹s death. My wife and I would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to the family of Michael Scott, Stroger said in the email.

Calling his friend of nearly 25 years a negotiator held in high esteem, the Rev. Jesse Jackson arrived on the scene in search for answers at about 7:30 a.m. Monday morning.

"Everything is just so wrong," Jackson said. Jackson said he spoke to Scott last week, as the former CPS Board President continued to deal with the brutal death of a CPS student.

Jackson said Scott had showed no signs of emotional trouble recently.

"This is as sudden to me as Monday morning," Jackson said.

"Mr. Scott was a strong advocate for education. His contributions to the minority communities of Cook County will be sorely missed. In particular, his love for the upward mobility of residents from Chicago's West Side where he spent his life," Stroger said in the e-mail.

Personnel used a searchlight to to aid in the search. Ladder truck No. 3, engine No. 42; ambulance No. 42 and at least one more fire truck responded to the scene, which was taped off with yellow police tape.

Alfaro could not confirm Scott was reported missing as of 5 a.m.

It was not known immediately who called it in and several police and fire department units including a dive team worked on recovering the body.

Chicago Public Schools could not be reached at 5 a.m. Monday. Belmont Area detectives are conducting a death investigation, according to Greer.