University police have concluded their investigation into former university student Tyler Blalock’s death.
Witnesses told university police Blalock was “very intoxicated” the night of Sept. 28.
Blalock drowned Saturday morning at approximately 2:30 a.m., according to the medical examiner. His body was discovered face down in Kraut Creek in Durham Park on campus around 8 a.m. Sept. 29.
The area was secured and university police began investigating his death.
Officers found a wallet in his pants containing two IDs with contradicting information.
One was a university AppCard with Blalock’s name, but the North Carolina driver’s license appeared to belong to another person.
Other documents in the wallet implied Blalock was the individual found, but the driver’s license photo resembled Blalock as well.
Throughout the investigation, university police interviewed several of Blalock’s friends who said Blalock had attended a party in a “somewhat intoxicated state.”
He left the party to purchase beer at a local store, but then returned to the party before heading to a nearby bar with some friends around 11:30 p.m., according to witnesses.
Witnesses told police Blalock left the bar around 2 a.m. and was last seen walking toward campus.
University Police have shared information from their investigation with the N.C. Department of Public Safety’s Alcohol Law Enforcement division, which is conducting an independent investigation to determine if any alcohol laws were violated.
“Alcohol may be possessed or consumed on university property only by persons 21 years of age or older in their dorm rooms or in appropriately licensed and/or approved campus facilities. Persons are expected to assume responsibility for their own behavior while drinking and must understand that being under the influence of alcohol in no way lessens their accountability to the university community,” according to the university policy manual.
Blalock was 19 years old.
A candlelight vigil will be held in honor of Blalock Monday, Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Gazebo in Durham Park.
Story: ANNE BUIE, Managing Editor