Police identify man found shot dead at north Omaha park

OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Police are investigating after a body was found Wednesday morning in Benson Park.

The report of a body on the ground in the middle of the park, located east of 72nd Street and Military Avenue, came in just after 7 a.m. Investigators put up a tent to try to protect any evidence left behind after strong rains pounded the Omaha-metro in the morning.

Police said later that the body was that of a white man who had been shot. He was identified Wednesday night as 46-year-old Philipp Kuhn.

6 News learned that someone found the man dead in the grass Wednesday morning and went to the bus stop to tell the driver, called 9-1-1.

The crime scene was in the middle of the picnic tables and permanent grills on the Military Avenue entrance to the park. The area — a heavily used city park, especially on the weekends — was blocked off for hours.

The OPD crime lab arrived sometime around 10:30 a.m. to allow the forensics team to work on conducting a death investigation. It’s a tedious job that includes using a type of metal detector searching for clues in the grass and taking pictures of everything and anything that may be connected to the death.

Chief Deputy County Attorney Brenda Beadle was also spotted at the scene around 11:30 a.m. It’s not uncommon for someone from the county attorney’s office to be present at a crime scene in order to talk with detectives as they get a better idea of what they think happened — particularly in more serious cases — as they will be in charge of prosecuting any suspects.

While the forensics team was working at the scene, officers were out canvassing the area, talking with those in homes and businesses around the area to learn what they might have seen. They’re also hoping to view any security footage or doorbell video in the area that may have captured what happened to the man in Benson Park.

Police are asking anyone with information about Kuhn‘s death to contact the Omaha Police Department’s Homicide Unit at 402-444-5656; reach out anonymously via Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP. Online tips can also be submitted at omahacrimestoppers.org or by using the P3 Tips mobile app.

“Tips leading to the arrest of a homicide suspect are eligible for a $25,000 reward,“ the OPD release states.

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Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this report.

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