Police: Washington State safety Bryce Beekman found dead

Posted March 25, 2020 7:00 am

The Associated Press

FILE - This Nov. 16, 2019, file photo shows Washington State defensive back Bryce Beekman (26) during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Stanford in Pullman, Wash. Bryce Beekman has died. Police Cmdr. Jake Opgenorth said Wednesday, Marc 25, 2020, the 22-year-old Beekman was found dead at a residence in Pullman. He declined to provide additional details and said more information would be released later by the Whitman County coroner's office. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File) The Associated Press

PULLMAN, Wash. (AP) - A Washington State football player was found dead in his apartment by an officer who responded to a call for help involving "breathing problems,'' Pullman Police Chief Gary Jenkins said Wednesday.

Jenkins said there were no signs of foul play and that the Whitman County coroner will determine the cause of death for 22-year-old Bryce Beekman, the senior defensive back who was found Tuesday afternoon.

Coroner Annie Pillers said in an email that the case remains an ongoing investigation and that it may take up to three months to determine the cause of death.

'œWe are in shock with the news of Bryce's passing,'ť Washington State athletic director Pat Chun said in a statement. 'œBryce was a tremendous young man, great teammate and will be missed by all. We send our deepest condolences and prayers to the Beekman family and his many friends.'ť

Beekman started all 13 games last season for Washington State after transferring from Arizona Western College. He finished fifth on the team with 60 tackles and one interception. He was expected to be part of an experienced Washington State secondary going into this season.

First-year Washington State coach Nick Rolovich informed the team of Beekman's passing on Tuesday night.

'œMy relationship with Bryce was still in its early stages, but I knew him to be a wonderful young man,'ť Rolovich said. 'œHe was always positive and well respected amongst his teammates. My heart goes out to his family and friends.'ť

Teammates took to social media to express their sadness and condolences. Washington State's program is barely two years removed from the suicide of quarterback Tyler Hilinski in January 2018.

'œCherish your loved ones. Every second matters,'ť wrote offensive lineman Liam Ryan.

In a conference call with reporters Tuesday prior to learning of Beekman's death, Rolovich said the majority of players had stayed in their hometowns following spring break. Washington State has moved to an online/remote learning platform in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Spring football practice, originally scheduled to start this week, has been postponed.

But Rolovich said a few players had returned to Pullman.

___

More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

FILE - This Sept. 7, 2019, file photo shows Washington State defensive back Bryce Beekman (26) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Northern Colorado in Pullman, Wash. Bryce Beekman has died. Police Cmdr. Jake Opgenorth said Wednesday, Marc 25, 2020, the 22-year-old Beekman was found dead at a residence in Pullman. He declined to provide additional details and said more information would be released later by the Whitman County coroner's office. (AP Photo/Young Kwak, File) The Associated Press

FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2019, file photo, Washington State defensive back Bryce Beekman (26) is greeted by defensive lineman Nnamdi Oguayo (30) and linebacker Jahad Woods (13) after Beekman intercepted an Oregon State pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Pullman, Wash. Bryce Beekman has died. Police Cmdr. Jake Opgenorth said Wednesday, Marc 25, 2020, the 22-year-old Beekman was found dead at a residence in Pullman. He declined to provide additional details and said more information would be released later by the Whitman County coroner's office. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.