Strumica man found dead before Bitola clinical hospital after being filmed dragged unconscious
Prosecutors say the man went to emergency after a fight and was found dead about 12 hours later; police issued a brief statement.
A man from Strumica who was shown in a video being dragged unconscious along Shirok Sokak was found dead the next day in front of the clinical hospital in Bitola, prosecutors and police records show.
The public prosecutor's office confirmed that the person in the recording and the man discovered dead the following midday are the same. Prosecutors say they received only an oral notice that a fight took place near the place where the footage was shot; they have not received any written report from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA).
According to the prosecutor's initial findings, the 39‑year‑old resident of Strumica went to the hospital emergency department after the fight and, following an examination, was sent for additional tests. What happened during the interval after that is currently unexplained; he was located roughly 12 hours later.
Official statement and pending autopsy
“The case was reported to the Bitola Police Department on August 31, at about 12:15. The death of J.I. (39) was certified by an emergency medical doctor. By order of the public prosecutor, the body of the deceased will be handed over for an autopsy, which should determine the cause of death,” the MIA said in a brief statement.
A television outlet reported unofficially that the immediate cause of death may have been cardiac arrest, but the autopsy result has not been released. The prosecutor's office says the entire incident is under investigation.
The MIA has not answered questions from journalists about who is seen dragging the man in the footage, who filmed it, or whether the ministry has obtained the video or recordings from nearby cameras.
Photo: press material from the event
