14-year-old student dies after falling from Ypsilanti school roof
YPSILANTI, Mich. (WJBK) -
A 14-year-old boy dies at an Ypsilanti middle school after falling from the roof of the building.
There are a lot of questions tonight about how he got up to the roof and why. The school was automatically locked down as school officials tried to determine what happened.
The teen apparently fell off the roof of the school - but investigators are still trying to figure out how.
"We are just beginning the investigations," said Chief Tony DeGiusti.
Ypsilanti police was first on the scene of Washtenaw International Middle School after receiving an emergency call Wednesday afternoon that the 14-year-old had fallen off the roof of the building.
Emergency crews responded, but the teen who suffered massive trauma to the head, had died.
"Obviously it is a terrible tragedy anytime something happens to any of our youth, it hits the heart of the city," DeGiusti said.
SkyFox was at the scene. Investigators used ladders to climb to the top of the roof to try and determine exactly what happened.
A check of students who were in class at the time revealed one was missing. How that 14-year-old student got to the roof of the building and his intentions are unclear.
Although initially there are no signs of foul play, police are working to find out if the teen was possibly pushed, fell, or was trying to end his life.
Investigators hope interviewing witnesses and possibly video, may reveal more details in the final moments of this student's life.
"We're very, very sorry for the family that has to deal with this again it is just tragic," DeGiusti said.
The boy's name has not been released, while the school has been cooperating with the investigation. Right now the superintendent is saying the death is of a nonviolent nature - but again police say it is too early to rule anything out.
There will be school on Thursday but the superintendent has also arranged mental health counselors to talk to students and staff to help them deal with their grief.