BURIEN, Wash. — A 15-year-old who was shot and killed in Burien is the fourth Highline High School student to die so far this year, the school district confirmed in a letter to parents.
The boy, whose identity is unconfirmed, was a ninth-grade student at the school. The district said they could not share any other information at this time, but they were aware students had heard about the boy's death and are speaking about it.
"We are encouraging students not to share unconfirmed information or speculate on what happened out of respect for all involved," wrote Highline School District Communications Director Catherine Carbone Rogers.
The teen was killed over the weekend. King County Sheriff's deputies were called to the 16200 block of 11th Avenue at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. When they arrived, they found the 15-year-old had sustained a gunshot wound. He died as a result of his injuries.
The teen's family and one of his friends were with him when he was shot and are working with investigators, according to the sheriff's office.
Another freshman at Highline High School was killed over winter break, the district confirmed. The 14-year-old student, Pedro Cruz Palma, was linked to a carjacking resulting in a fiery car crash in Seattle on Dec. 29. Palma died in the crash from thermal burns, according to the King County Medical Examiner.
"I want to acknowledge that this is the fourth HHS student we have lost this school year. Our students, families, and staff are all affected when we lose a member of our school community. While these deaths are not connected, each loss compounds our grief," read the letter to parents.
The district advised parents to watch for the following changes in their students' behavior, which could indicate they are struggling to process their grief:
- Persistent unhappiness, negativity, irritability, anger and rage
- Decreased interest in activities; or inability to enjoy previously favorite activities
- Increased social isolation; poor communication
- Extreme sensitivity to rejection or failure
- Frequent complaints of physical illnesses such as headaches and stomachaches
- Frequent absences from school or poor performance in school
- A major change in eating and/or sleeping patterns
- Talk of or efforts to run away from home