Residents express shock after man found dead in Canberra

Residents of a tight-knit neighbourhood where a 54-year-old man was found dead have expressed their fear and shock.

Police on scene in Wanniassa after a body was found on March 3. Picture: Contributed

Residents of a tight knit neighbourhood in southern Canberra have expressed their fear and shock after a man was found dead near a local footpath on Friday.

ACT Policing said at 12:55pm on March 3 officers responded to reports of a54-year-old deceased man found near Bussau Cl, Wanniassa in Canberra’s Tuggeranong region.

An ACT Policing spokesman said they were “currently investigating the circumstances of the incident”.

In an update, police confirmed an autopsy had been performed on the man.

Police have not publicly identified the man, nor have they specified if they are treating his death as suspicious.

Local residents of Bussau Cl said the incident came as a shock to the community-minded cul-de-sac.

Police on scene in Wanniassa after a body was found on March 3. Picture: Contributed

A woman, who did not want to be named, said her neighbour called the ambulance after noticing the man on the grass next to a footpath.

She said her neighbour described seeing blood on the dead man’s face.

The woman said the man was “unfamiliar to the local community”.

Despite the shock of the incident, the woman said she “loves” her neighbourhood.

“Everyone knows everyone … everyone looks out for everyone,” she said.

The suburban footpath where a man in his 50s was found dead on March 3. Picture: Julia Kanapathippillai

A man who did not want to be named said he “really felt disturbed” after the incident.

“I don’t know of this person,” he said.

“I feel quite scared going out.”

He said violent crime was rare in the area.

“You never hear of such things happening here in the ACT, Canberra is a safe city,” he said.

Local resident Theresa said she did not know the man, and said his death so close to her neighbourhood was “a shock”.

“It’s a bit scary,” she said.

“Everyone does their own thing, everyone looks after each other.”

Resident Tom said the path where the man was found was a popular track between the residential area and the nearby Erindale shops.

He described the community of Bussau Cl as “tight knit” and said people would often say “G’day” to each other and “have a yarn”.

Paul, a friend of Tom, said members of the neighbourhood “all look after each other.”

ACT Policing are still investigating the incident and have urged anyone with information, or anyone who was in the vicinity of Bussau Cl between 9am and 1pm on March 3 to contact crime stoppers quoting reference P2144374.