Update: The Utah County Sheriff’s Office has ruled the incident a suicide.
OREM, Utah (ABC4) — An Orem student has died after suffering severe injuries from what the Utah County Sheriff’s Office believes to be a self-inflicted gunshot during a class field trip.
The Alpine School District says that the incident occurred on Wednesday during a 9th-grade school field trip. Students were at the South Fork Park in Provo Canyon, the sheriff’s office says. This incident involved a student from Canyon View Junior High School in Orem.
The gunshot appeared to be self-inflicted, according to a press release from the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. The student was flown to a local hospital, and the parents were notified. Ultimately, the sheriff’s office says that the student succumbed to their injuries.
All of the other students who participated in the field trip are safe, according to the district and the sheriff’s office. The incident is being actively investigated by detectives with the sheriff’s office, and they are not releasing the name of the student at this time.
The Alpine School District says it is working with law enforcement, medical personnel, and counseling experts to navigate the situation.
“We appreciate the partnership and cooperation with all of our community partners as we investigate this tragic incident,” the Utah County Sheriff’s Office said in a press release.
Counseling services are available to students who witnessed the incident, as well as staff, other students, and families, and an email was sent to parents to assist with next steps for grieving and healing. “We know that adolescents can grieve, process, and recover better when they have a trusted adult to guide them,” the district stated.
According to a statement from Alpine School District, classes will continue as scheduled on Thursday and Friday, but parent-teacher conferences scheduled for tomorrow have been canceled.
“We are heartbroken as a school district at the passing of one of our students today… We offer deepest condolences to the student’s family and friends…” Alpine School District stated. “The administrative team at Canyon View has acted with the utmost compassion and professionalism. We are grateful for their love and leadership.” https://www.abc4.com/news/local-news/…
