Los Angeles, October 1 (TNA) A student at Benjamin Franklin High School in Los Angeles died on Wednesday after falling from the fourth floor of a campus building, prompting a death investigation by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD).
The incident occurred around 1 p.m. at the school in the Highland Park neighbourhood, located in the 800 block of 54 North Avenue, according to authorities. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics rushed the student to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The LAPD, working with school police, has opened a “death investigation” into the incident. Authorities said there is currently no evidence of foul play, but the circumstances surrounding the fall remain under active investigation. The student’s identity has not been released; police have described him only as a minor boy.
Following the incident, the school was immediately placed on lockdown, which lasted for about three to four hours while police secured the scene and questioned witnesses. The Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) sent messages to parents saying the campus was on lockdown due to a “medical emergency” and would reopen only after law enforcement gave an “all-clear.” A white tent was set up on campus, and some areas were cordoned off with tape; local news helicopters captured aerial footage of the scene.
Some local reports, citing students, claim there was an altercation in a fourth-floor classroom before the boy fell near a railing, but LAPD has not confirmed those details. Investigators are expected to review witness statements, the sequence of events before the fall, and possibly surveillance footage to determine whether it was an accident, suicide, or related to another situation.
Until the investigation is complete, school officials and police are likely to focus on additional security measures and counselling support for students and staff affected by the incident. LAPD has said it will share more information as new facts emerge, especially once the identification process and family notification are complete.