Train involved in sixth death

A man was killed by a Brightline train Sunday, marking at least the sixth death involving the service since it began trial runs last year.

Delray Beach Police said the train traveling north from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach struck and killed a man about 100 feet south of the Southeast Fourth Street crossing just before 1 p.m. Sunday.

The man, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene by Delray police.

“From initial information gathered, it appears today’s incident was a suicide,” a Brightline spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Brightline continues working with the local authorities.”

Delray Beach police said it was too soon to say whether Sunday’s incident was a suicide, but some of the previous Brightline deaths have been ruled as suicides.

Michael Hicks, a Brightline spokesman, said the train involved in Sunday’s incident was not part of the test runs scheduled this week as part of an expansion to Miami.

The service from West Palm Beach to Fort Lauderdale began on Jan. 13, and the trains will eventually take passengers between Miami and Orlando. . Among the others killed: Jeffrey King was killed in January while riding his bicycle across the tracks in Boynton Beach.

Jennifer Reed, 35, was killed in Deerfield Beach during a test run in November.

Melissa Lavell, 32, was killed during a private test run of the service in January.

A woman in Boca Raton was killed last summer during a test run.

A man died in March after he refused to get off of the tracks in West Palm Beach as a train approached.

Train-related deaths in South Florida have risen in recent years, prompting transportation officials to push for safety upgrades at railroad crossings.

Police ask witnesses to Sunday’s incident to call Detective Joseph Hart at 561-243-7800.