A student in Utah has died from a “self-inflicted gunshot” during a school field trip, authorities report.
Shortly after 1 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Sept. 24, an unidentified ninth grader from Canyon View Junior High in Orem reportedly brought a gun on the school’s visit to South Fork Park in Provo Canyon and pulled the trigger, according to Fox 13. Teachers and staff quickly moved other students to safety and alerted authorities.
The student, whose name has not been released, was airlifted to a local hospital after deputies and medical personnel arrived, the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a news release on Facebook.
“Unfortunately, the student did succumb to their injuries,” the sheriff’s office stated. “No other students nor staff were injured during the incident.”
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Detectives are investigating the incident to determine how the student obtained the firearm and the circumstances behind the shooting.
Ian Campbell, a fellow ninth grader, described the day as “pretty fun,” enjoying sports and food, according to ABC 4. He said the shooting occurred as students were preparing to return to the bus.
“I remember I was playing spike ball with my friend, and then I just heard a loud pop,” Campbell told the outlet. “I didn’t think much of it, but eventually, I saw that a lot of people were running, and I saw that a lot of teachers rushed over. No one really knew what was happening.”
“It was pretty traumatic to hear what happened, and some students — I know a lot of them were crying,” he added. “What happened was pretty scary.”
The Alpine School District has made counseling available to students and staff. Students are also being given time to process the shooting before any questioning as part of the ongoing investigation.
While classes are expected to continue normally in the days following the incident, a previously scheduled parent-teacher conference has been canceled.
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In a statement obtained by PEOPLE, the school district emphasized the importance of parental support during this difficult time. “We are heartbroken as a school district at the passing of one of our students today, a 9th grader who went to Canyon View Junior High. We offer deepest condolences to the student’s family and friends,” the district said, noting that adolescents process and recover better when guided by a trusted adult.
