Body of Michael Scott Found (Updated)

A body tentatively identified as that of Chicago Board of Education President Michael Scott has been found in the Chicago River:

A body tentatively identified as Michael Scott, president of the Chicago Board of Education, was found in the Chicago River near the Merchandise Mart this morning, police sources said.

A blue Cadillac registered to Scott, 60, was found parked next to a trash bin yards away from the river.

A police spokesman said the identification was preliminary. The Cook County medical examiner’s office has not yet positively identified the body.

Scott’s family, concerned about his whereabouts, had contacted police Sunday night, reporting he was missing.

Scott has been active in Chicago politics for decades:

Besides serving as schools chief, Scott has also held public posts under Mayors Jane Byrne, Harold Washington and Eugene Sawyer . Scott worked as Park District board president and a member on the boards of the RTA and Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority for the Daley administration.

Recently, Scott made news when he was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury looking into the admissions practices of Chicago’s elite schools.

Scott was also under scrutiny in the past few months over Olympics-related real estate dealings.

A key member of Mayor Daley’s Olympic committee, Scott also served as a consultant to a major condominium developer who proposed to build near the Olympic Village site.

Update

It is now being reported that the body has been positively identified and that it is an apparent suicide:

CHICAGO — The president of the Chicago Board of Education reportedly shot himself in the head along the Chicago River Monday morning, MyFoxChicago.com reported.

Police found what was believed to be the body of Michael Scott floating in the river hours later, the Web site reported.

Sources say a gun was recovered by the body. They also said that cops used Scott’s cell phone to locate the body and blue Cadillac, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Update 2

Chicago’s NBC affiliate produces some smoke but as yet no fire in trying to explain why Mr. Scott took his own life:

Earlier this year, Scott was scrutinized over Olympics-related real estate dealings.

A key member of Mayor Daley’s Olympic committee, Scott also served as a consultant to a major condominium developer who proposed to build near the Olympic Village site.

Earlier this summer, Scott moved to sever his ties to another developer after the Tribune revealed his plans to build a retail and housing project near the proposed Olympic cycling venue on the West Side.

Scott’s business dealings led residents to suspect that Mayor Daley’s friends would profit the most from the proposed 2016 Olympic games, which of course Chicago failed to win.

Also recently, Scott made news when he was subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury looking into the admissions practices of Chicago’s elite schools.

Asked at the time whether he was aware of students being unfairly “clouted” into elite schools, Scott said he had no comment, but looked forward to answering any questions.

I certainly hope there’s more investigation into this.

6 comments… add one
  • marybel Link

    “Police found what was believed to be the body of Michael Scott floating in the river hours later, the Web site reported.
    Sources say a gun was recovered by the body.”

    Let’s just look at what ‘sources say’ above a little itsy bitsy bit closer.

    I can understand the body floating in the water, but how in tarnation was that recovered gun (“by the body”) ALSO floating???

    A floating gun is either impossible or just piss-poor writing, huh?

    Dave, I hope there’s more investigation as well.

  • I had guessed that “by” was a poor choice of words when what was meant was “near” or “in the vicinity of”.

  • Damn, I wish I’d known I could pay someone off and get my kids into elite Chicago public schools. It would have to be cheaper than private school tuition and I could have lived in Chicago and been near Achatz and Tramonto and Trotter.

  • michael, if you know a guy there’s practically no limit to what you can get in Chicago.

  • mary Link

    I meet Michael Scott and his family 42 years ago. He was a very respectful person. He was the kind of person you knew was going to be someone important. His mother and grandmother was one of the most friendliest people you could ever meet. I remember his grandmother loved to make Gumbo. I never saw him or anyone in his family after I moved from Lawndale.
    God bless his family during these troubled times. I extend my sympathy to the Scott family .

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