The sophomore who died shortly after a confrontation inside a bathroom at her Wilmington, Delaware, high school has been identified as Amy Joyner-Francis, police said Friday.
Police have not said what caused the 16-year-old’s death, but school and city officials said Thursday she died shortly after a "physical altercation" with two students at Howard High School of Technology.
Students who knew about the fight said they believe it stemmed from a dispute over a boy.
Police did say a school resource officer called EMS at 8:18 a.m. Thursday for a student complaining of head and chest pain, and that the call quickly escalated to a report of CPR in progress. Joyner-Francis died a short time later at a nearby hospital.
Students at the school, which is part of the New Castle County Vocational Technical School District, returned to class Friday. An autopsy was expected the same day.
"Several female students were involved in a physical altercation at approximately 8:15 a.m. this morning, in a main floor girls bathroom, just at the time classes began for the day," the school district said in a statement.
Shauntea Bellamy cried as he sat outside the school after learning of the student's death. He worked with her as part of youth outreach programs and said she was set to volunteer in a summer program he organizes.
"It hurts when you know her personally and she's not one of my students who are out there in the streets like that," he said.
Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams said police were interviewing suspects Thursday evening, but didn't elaborate about whether arrests would be made.
U.S. & World
Stories that affect your life across the U.S. and around the world.
State agencies will help provide support for those affected by the tragedy, Gov. Jack Markell said in a statement.
Wilmington City Councilman Darius Brown is holding a town hall meeting for the community at 6 p.m. Monday, at Stubbs Elementary School. He said the governor, state attorney general and mayor will speak.
Students were surprised to hear about the girl's death, saying the school is not known for being a trouble spot. Records show there have been 14 reported fights there last school year. Williams called the fight an isolated incident.
Friends of the girl held a vigil in her memory outside the school Thursday night, and another vigil was expected at 6 p.m. Friday.
"A lot of families were destroyed today," Williams said.
