Minneapolis police are investigating after a man's body with "obvious trauma" was found Monday morning in a North Side alley, officials said.

The man had been shot at least once, officials say, but an autopsy will be conducted to determine the precise cause of death.

About 7:10 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call that a man's body was found behind a house in the 3500 block of N. 4th Street in the McKinley neighborhood, according to police and police dispatch audio posted online.

Police Department spokesman John Elder said responding officers noted "there was obvious trauma to the body," and police are "launching an investigation" into what he characterized as a suspicious death.

The dispatch audio suggested that the body was found "in the snowbank in the alley," although it was not clear whether the victim was killed at that spot or how long he had been there.

There is no word about what led to the death, and no arrests have been made. The man's identity has yet to be disclosed.

Trevor Ewert, a neighbor, said he was leaving his home for work and driving down the alley about 7 a.m. when he "saw the feet of a person and quickly realized there was a man lying in the snow."

Ewert said he edged his vehicle a bit closer to the man before calling 911.

"I did not see any injuries or signs of trauma from my vehicle," he said.

The area's ShotSpotter network picked up a single gunshot two days earlier a block to the east, but Elder said he doubted that had anything to do with this man's death.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482 Twitter: @walshpj

Libor Jany • 612-673-4064 Twitter: @StribJany