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Man dies near Fountain Plaza after incident with rail cars

NFTA officials say the incident happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. and that Buffalo Police detectives and NFTA Transit Police are investigating.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — A man was killed Thursday night near Fountain Plaza in an incident that involved Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority rail cars.

NFTA officials say the incident happened shortly before 8:30 p.m. According to video and witnesses the victim, identified as 53-year-old Mark Coleman, appeared to jump on the coupler, the mechanism that connects the trains, at the Fountain Plaza Station. According to the NFTA, as the train pulled from the station, Coleman fell. 

"Observed the individual attempt to move between the two rail cars. Our investigators also confirmed on video that that's what took place," said NFTA Transit Police Chief George Gast. "So that's the preliminary part of the investigation. It appears the incident started here at Fountain Plaza and ended up down at the portal."

Metro cars were turned off for the remainder of the night after the incident.The NFTA said the train operator wasn't able to see the man when the incident happened and wasn't able to stop the rail car.  

Buffalo Police detectives and NFTA Transit Police are investigating. Rail service resumed Friday morning.

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