March 29, 2024


News

Bears running back Tarik Cohen’s brother found dead in North Carolina

Tyrell Cohen apparently died by electrocution while trying to climb power equipment at an electrical substation, sheriff’s office spokesperson Eric Curry told the Raleigh News & Observer.

Tyrell Antar Cohen, brother of Bears running back Tarik Cohen, was found dead Sunday in Wake County, North Carolina.

Cohen apparently died by electrocution while trying to climb power equipment at an electrical substation, sheriff’s office spokesperson Eric Curry told the Raleigh News & Observer. On Sunday evening, Raleigh police sent a news release saying they had confirmed the man who died was Cohen, 25, who had been reported missing.

Tarik Cohen grew up in Bunn, North Carolina, and played football at North Carolina A&T. Tarik Cohen was a fourth-round draft pick by the Bears in 2017 and signed a long-term extension with the team last fall. He posted several times to social media late Saturday night and into Sunday morning that his brother was missing. He since has deleted those social media posts.

Cohen sent an update Monday morning on Twitter asking for privacy at this time.

“I lost my brother, my twin, myself,” Tarik Cohen wrote. “What a great man he was. I’m glad I got to express just how much I love him while he was here.”

The Bears released the following statement late Sunday:

“We are heartbroken to learn of the death of Tarik Cohen’s twin brother, Tyrell. Our immediate thoughts and prayers go out to Tarik, his mother, Tilwanda, and the rest of their family and loved ones. On behalf of the entire Bears family, we extend our most heartfelt sympathies to all who mourn his loss.”

According to the News & Observer, Curry said Tyrell Cohen fled the scene of a car crash in Raleigh around 2 a.m. Saturday. Police couldn’t locate him so they called off the search.

Later that night, Cohen’s family filed a missing-person report and officers resumed looking for him Sunday morning. Shortly after 9 a.m., the sheriff’s office responded to a call from a Duke Energy substation in the area where an employee had discovered Tyrell Cohen’s body.

Authorities do not suspect foul play, according to statements from Wake County deputies and Raleigh police.

Sean Hammond

Sean Hammond

Sean is the Chicago Bears beat reporter for the Shaw Local News Network. He has covered the Bears since 2020. Prior to writing about the Bears, he covered high school sports for the Northwest Herald and contributed to Friday Night Drive. Sean joined Shaw Media in 2016.