Teen Student Dies After Falling From Fourth Floor at Los Angeles High School

LO S ANGELES — A high school student in Los Angeles died on Wednesday after reportedly falling from a fourth-floor balcony, prompting a lockdown and ongoing investigation at Benjamin Franklin High School.

Law enforcement agencies received calls shortly after 1 p.m. regarding the incident. According to witnesses, the student fell into the school’s quad area. A white medical tent was subsequently erected on campus as responders managed the scene.

Welly Eng, a witness at the scene, stated that the teen fell from the fourth floor of the school building. Another student, Andrew Rivera, recounted hearing a loud impact before learning that the school had gone into lockdown.

The Los Angeles School Police Department characterized the event as a “medical emergency.” Students were kept inside the facility for approximately three hours while authorities conducted their investigation.

Some students indicated that the fatal fall occurred after a dispute between the victim and another individual. Eng described the sequence of events, saying the altercation led the student to run, after which he fell.

Jessica Gomez, a parent who learned of the tragedy, expressed her distress and urged other parents to address bullying behavior immediately. “I heard a kid fell off the fourth floor. My heart was racing. I had to call my children to see if they were OK,” Gomez said. She added, “If you know your kid is bullying somebody, even if it’s as a joke, stop them there before it gets worse.”

By Wednesday evening, a memorial had begun to form outside the school gates as students gathered to remember their classmate.

Police have not yet released the identity of the deceased student or additional details regarding the circumstances of the fall.