Man Found Dead at Occupy Camp in Texas

DENTON, Texas (The BlazeAP) -- A man has been found dead at a campsite at the University of North Texas campus where Occupy Denton protesters have been gathering, a school official said.

University spokesman Buddy Price said officers from the school's police department found the man's body Saturday after someone called authorities, the Dallas Morning News reported. Price said no one else was at the encampment when police arrived.

He told the newspaper the man is believed to have been a member of the Occupy Denton encampment.

The man's name and age have not been officially released, but in a statement Occupy Denton identified him as "fellow occupier" Darwin Cox, and said he had a "lifelong struggle with drug addiction."

"He was found in a tent on the Occupy Denton camp where he had been given shelter after a fellow occupier saw him suffering from a fever," the statement said. "Darwin’s lifelong struggle with drug addiction is suspected to have played a role in this tragedy."

An autopsy is pending.

The campsite is still operating, but some protesters could be seen packing up and leaving late Saturday night, NBC affiliate KXAS-TV reported.

Occupy Denton protester and University of North Texas senior Garrett Graham told the station the group is in mourning.

"This is a family and this is a community here," Graham said. "We're dealing with this loss the way a family does -- lots of condolences, a lot of emotion and a lot of love."

University police referred calls to Price on Saturday night. Price did not immediately return a phone call to The Associated Press.

Denton is about 40 miles northwest of Dallas.