High School Student Dies After Falling from Building Following Altercation
Video footage shows a student being punched by a classmate shortly before the victim fell from a four-story school building.
A student at Benjamin Franklin High School in Highland Park died on Wednesday after falling from a four-story building. The incident occurred shortly after the student was involved in a physical altercation with a classmate, according to newly released video footage.
The video shows the two students fighting inside a classroom, with a teacher attempting to intervene. The aggressor then punches the victim, knocking him to the ground. As the victim gets up, the aggressor is heard telling him to "Run, n—a — run." The student who was punched is then seen running down an outdoor hallway as the other student follows. The victim then appears to jump over a railing and fall to the ground below.
Witnesses described hearing noise and then seeing students fighting. "I see a kid getting hurt pretty bad… [he] throws himself over the fourth floor," one witness told FOX 11.
The Los Angeles Police Department reported the fatal fall around 1 p.m. on Wednesday. The school was placed on lockdown following the incident.
In an email to parents, Principal Marine Davtyan stated, "The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff continues to be our top priority. A medical emergency has required our school to go into a ‘lockdown.’"
Law enforcement has not yet released the name or age of the deceased student, nor have any charges been formally announced against the other student involved. Benjamin Franklin High School will remain closed until law enforcement confirms it is safe for students and staff to return.