A 66-year-old man is dead after being hit by a train in Brainerd Thursday morning.

According to the release, at 8:52 AM, Brainerd police responded to a report of a male that was hit by a train. Officers responded to train tracks at SW 4th Street and located a deceased adult male approximately 100 yards to the west.

According to the Brainerd Police Department, the BNSF train was traveling eastbound prior to the SW 4th Street intersection when the train operator observed an adult male walking towards the tracks. The male went onto the tracks in the path of the train as the operator applied brakes and was struck, according to the release.

The name of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of family members. The investigation is on going in cooperation with BNSF personnel.

By — Nick Ursini