The body of a man was found Tuesday in a warehouse at the Fashion Center in Pentagon City, a busy shopping mall in Arlington County, Virginia, located a short distance from the Pentagon, local authorities reported.

According to the Arlington County Police Department (ACPD), officers responded to a call shortly before noon regarding the report of A cardiac arrest. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found an unconscious man in a third-floor storage area, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The victim has not yet been identified.

What is known about the case?

According to information cited by ARLnow, the initial alert was issued by mall security personnel, who reported the presence of “an obviously deceased person” in a storage area.

An ACPD spokesperson indicated that the incident does not pose a threat to the community, while authorities have launched a formal investigation. The Chief Medical Examiner's Office will be responsible for determining the cause and manner of death.

The discovery generated shock among residents and visitors to the area, who expressed their concern on social media. Some highlighted the mall's usual tranquility, while others recalled recent incidents of crime, such as robberies, stabbings, and shootings, that have occurred in recent years. The Fashion Center has more than 140 stores and restaurants spread over more than one million square feet. About 800 meters to the north, across the Henry G. Memorial Highway, is the Pentagon, headquarters of the US Department of Defense, one of the most iconic and heavily guarded buildings in the country. High-Sensitivity Area: The Pentagon, which covers approximately 6.5 million square feet, was one of the targets of the September 11, 2001 attacks, when American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building, killing 189 people.