Franklin High School student dies after fall from balcony following classroom fight
Student dies after falling from school building
A death investigation is underway after a student died after falling from the 4th floor of a building at Franklin High School in Highland Park.
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LOS ANGELES – A student at Benjamin Franklin High School in Highland Park died Wednesday afternoon after falling from a fourth-floor balcony on campus following a classroom fight and hallway chase.
What we know:
The incident unfolded on Wednesday afternoon when a fight broke out inside a fourth-floor classroom during instruction.
Video obtained by FOX 11 shows two boys fighting while a teacher yells for them to stop.
In the video, one student wearing a backpack pummels a classmate, throws another punch after the fight appears to end, and runs out of the room.
Subsequent footage shows the initial aggressor chasing the victim through the hallway before the victim apparently leaps over a fourth-floor balcony railing.
"I hear stuff rumbling, falling, and I look up and I see kids fighting. I see a kid getting hurt pretty bad... [he] throws himself over the fourth floor, one witness told FOX 11.
Franklin HS student dies in fall from balcony
Students who witnessed the incident said an altercation broke out inside a classroom on the fourth floor.
Emergency personnel responded to the scene, and the victim—described by a classmate as a quiet student who rarely spoke—sustained fatal injuries from the fall.
Police told FOX 11 that at this time they do not believe the student who jumped was being chased, threatened or followed.
What we don't know:
Law enforcement officials have not yet released the identity or exact age of the victim, nor have they announced any formal charges or arrests regarding the other student involved in the fight.
Investigators have not officially confirmed the underlying motive for the classroom altercation or released specific details regarding the preliminary findings of the death investigation.
What they're saying:
In an email sent to the school community Wednesday evening, Principal Marine Davtyan explained that privacy and confidentiality laws prohibit school leadership from sharing additional details about the incident or the student involved. Davtyan emphasized that the safety, emotional well-being, and support of students and staff remain the highest priority for the district during this time.
"We recognize that events such as this can affect students and staff in different ways. The well-being of our school community remains our top priority. School mental health professionals and support staff will be available throughout the day tomorrow to provide counseling, support, and a safe space for students who may wish to talk," Davtyan said in a statement released through a Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson.
"We encourage families to check in with their children and remind them that it is okay to seek support when needed."
What's next:
The LAPD's death investigation remains active, and officers are continuing to review witness statements and video evidence gathered from campus.
Mental health professionals and counseling staff have been deployed to the Highland Park campus to support students and school staff.
Parents with questions can contact the school office at 323-550-2000.
The Source: This report is based on official statements provided by Los Angeles Unified School District officials and Benjamin Franklin High School Principal Marine Davtyan, alongside reporting from City News Service. Additional details were corroborated through eyewitness testimony from students present during the incident and video footage obtained by FOX 11.