Advertisement

Police investigate death

Share via

Irvine Police are investigating the death of Jourdan Watanabe, a redshirt sophomore baseball player at Orange Coast College who died early Friday, police spokesperson Lt. John Hare said Saturday.

There is no evidence of foul play, a police statement said.

Police said a bloody Watanabe, 20, was found conscious inside a business located on the 100 block of Musick shortly after 1 a.m. Friday.

Police had responded to a commercial burglary alarm at the business, where they arrived to find the windows were smashed out.

Advertisement

Police found Watanabe inside with lacerations to his wrists, arms and torso. Watanabe, police said, claimed to be on drugs. Watanabe was attended to by emergency medical personnel and was transported to an area hospital, where he later died.

The coroner conducted an autopsy and will determine the cause of death at a later time, pending toxicology results.

A candlelight vigil in Watanabe’s honor was held Saturday night on the baseball field at Meadowood Park in Irvine and players for Orange Coast and Saddleback, as well as all those in attendance at Saturday afternoon’s game between the Orange Empire Conference rivals at OCC, observed a pregame moment of silence in Watanabe’s honor.

Funeral plans have not been announced.

— Barry Faulkner


Advertisement