The Harmony Grove School District on Tuesday identified the teenager fatally shot by a Benton police officer Monday as one of its students.
Chad Withers, principal at Harmony Grove High School, said in a statement that the school is “saddened by the tragic events of yesterday" that resulted in the death of 17-year-old Keagan Schweikle.
“At this time, we ask that everyone keep his family in their thoughts and prayers, as well as our students, who are grieving the loss of a classmate,” Withers wrote.
Lt. Kevin Russell, a spokesman with the Benton Police Department, would not confirm the teen's identity.
Withers said counselors are available to speak with students and faculty members, asking that the privacy of family members and student body be respected “during this difficult time and in the days ahead.”
Schweikle's death marked the second fatal police shooting in a two-week span in Benton, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette previously reported.
Officers were called at 11:44 a.m. Monday to the 1200 block of River Oaks Drive in response to a family disturbance. The teen had already fled into a wooded area when authorities arrived.
When police located him, he refused to drop a handgun and was then shot, according to the department. Schweikle was pronounced dead at the scene.
The officer involved in the shooting, whose identity has not been released, is on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.
Check back with Arkansas Online for updates on this story and read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.