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Minneapolis

Coroner rules in death of man pushed by Gagne

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(AP) - The Hennepin County medical examiner's office is calling the death of a 97-year-old man who was reportedly pushed by Minnesota wrestling legend Vern Gagne a homicide.

The coroner's report says Helmut Gutmann died of complications from a broken hip he suffered after being pushed Jan. 26 at a rest home in Bloomington.

While Wednesday's news release does not mention Gagne by name, Gutmann's wife has said Gagne apparently threw Gutmann to the floor at Friendship Village in Bloomington.

At the time, both men were living the facility's memory loss unit and suffered from Alzheimer's-related dementia. Gutmann also had pulmonary disease.

The Bloomington Police Department is investigating.

Gagne, now 83, wrestled at the University of Minnesota and spent a brief stint with the Green Bay Packers before turning to professional wrestling in 1950. He wrestled into the early 1980s.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)