A Tempe man died after jumping off the Scottsdale Road bridge into Tempe Town Lake Tuesday.
A man in his early 20s leaped off the top of the bridge wearing only boxer shorts and tennis shoes around 12:40 p.m., said Tempe police spokesman Sgt. Dan Masters.
The man disappeared beneath the water after he repeatedly failed to stay afloat, Masters said. He may have drowned, but police will not be sure of the cause of death until an autopsy is performed.
Dive teams recovered the body around 2 p.m.
Police said they do not yet know why the man jumped off the bridge.
"It's being investigated as an accident," Masters said. "There's no evidence of suicide."
Masters said the Maricopa County Medical Examiner's office would likely conduct an autopsy today.
Examiners could then determine if any alcohol or drug use contributed to the man's actions, he added.
The man left behind a backpack filled with books, his wallet and an identification card with a Tempe address close to ASU's campus, Masters said.
Police will investigate whether the man is a current or past ASU student, Masters said. The department did not release his name because his family hadn't yet been notified.
A couple fishing off the lake's south side called 911 after the man jumped into the lake and began shouting for help, he said.
Masters said another witness tried to tell the man how to swim to shore. Two people in a kayak tried to navigate toward the man but couldn't reach him, he added.
After police got to the scene, the bridge's curb lane was closed to northbound vehicles, but this didn't cause any traffic delays, Masters said.
Dozens of police officers and members of the Tempe, Phoenix and Mesa fire departments were at the scene.
Reach the reporter at grayson.steinberg@asu.edu.
