Police identify man hit, killed by light rail train

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Police are investigating after they said someone was killed after being struck by a light rail train overnight in south Charlotte.

Officers could be seen investigating at the Archdale station after a man's body was found near Archdale and Old Pineville Road around 2:30 a.m. by a light rail worker who was performing their morning check of the tracks.

IMAGES: CMPD investigating light rail death

Police had the station taped off with crime tape early Friday morning as they investigated.

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police captain told Channel 9 the man was likely killed just after 1 a.m. as the last train of the night was leaving the station.

Police identified the man who was killed as Shawn Darnell Davis, 48.

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Police said that the man was lying on the tracks when he was hit.

Officers said the body was found in an area that's difficult for pedestrians to get to, and that the train was going southbound when it hit and killed the man.

The train operator left after their shift and police are trying to interview him about what happened. The train was also being processed for evidence.

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A CATS representative told Channel 9 that the train operator will undergo drug and alcohol testing.

The investigation briefly interrupted the LYNX Blue Line light rail service Friday morning, as there was no train service from the I-485/South Blvd. station to the New Bern station until around 6:15 a.m.

A bus bridge was in place from the Interstate 485 to New Bern stations for the start of service at 5:15 a.m.

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