2 days ago
Los Angeles Student Dies After Fourth-Floor Fall Amid Fight Claims
A student at a Los Angeles high school died after falling from the fourth floor.
The fall happened around 1 p.m.
on September 30.
The student’s name and age have not been released.
Videos and student accounts appear to show a fight inside a classroom beforehand.
They also appear to show one student following another into a hallway.
Some reports say the student may have been trying to escape the fight, but police have not confirmed this.
Police also have not confirmed that bullying or foul play was involved.
The school was locked down for about three hours.
Investigators are still trying to learn exactly what happened.
A boy at Benjamin Franklin High School in Los Angeles died after falling from the building’s fourth floor.
The fall occurred around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, near the end of fourth period.
Videos and witness accounts appeared to show a classroom fight before one student followed another into a hallway.
Police have not confirmed that the student was chased, targeted or bullied, and said there was no evidence of foul play.
The school went into lockdown for about three hours, while investigators reviewed footage, witness accounts and other evidence.
- Who
- An unnamed boy at Benjamin Franklin High School; the Los Angeles Police Department and Los Angeles School Police are investigating.
- What
- The student died after falling from the school building’s fourth floor, amid unconfirmed reports of a preceding fight.
- Where
- Benjamin Franklin High School in Highland Park, Los Angeles.
- When
- Around 1 p.m. on Wednesday, September 30, near the end of fourth period.
- Why
- The circumstances of the fall remain under investigation; authorities have not confirmed whether a fight, pursuit or bullying was involved.
Reported Fight and Pursuit
Authorities’ Unconfirmed Findings
What preceded the fall
Reported Fight and Pursuit
Videos and witness accounts appear to show two students fighting in a classroom, followed by one student entering the hallway after the other. One report described the fall as occurring while the student was reportedly trying to escape.
Authorities’ Unconfirmed Findings
Police and school officials have not confirmed the exact sequence of events or that the student was being chased.
Whether bullying was involved
Reported Fight and Pursuit
Social-media claims and student accounts have raised questions about possible bullying or targeting.
Authorities’ Unconfirmed Findings
Authorities have not confirmed that bullying played any role in the death.
Role of foul play
Reported Fight and Pursuit
The apparent fight and the student’s subsequent fall have led to public questions about whether other students contributed to the incident.
Authorities’ Unconfirmed Findings
Police said there was no evidence of foul play at this stage, and the investigation remains ongoing.
Key facts
- School
- Benjamin Franklin High School
- Location
- Highland Park, Los Angeles
- Incident time
- Around 1 p.m. on September 30
- Student
- A boy whose name and age were not released
- Police assessment
- No evidence of foul play at this stage
- Lockdown
- The campus was placed under lockdown for about three hours
- Investigation
- Authorities are examining videos, witness accounts and other evidence
Quotes
An unidentified witness
A student witness quoted by FOX 11 who said they observed events inside the school.
“When we got out, you could feel the vibe and see everyone's faces; they looked worried, they looked scared. They looked distraught ... And I was walking out and could see people crying. So emotional. It's heartbreaking to see.”
NDTV
“I hear stuff rumbling and falling, and I look up and I see kids fighting. I see a kid getting hurt pretty bad... [he] throws himself over the fourth floor”
NDTV
Sources
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