Unfortunately, there’s very sobering news coming out of South Bend this evening as a 20-year-old Notre Dame student has been killed in what can only be described as a very tragic and heartbreaking accident.
According to both the South Bend Tribune and the Associated Press, a video tower located at the south end of the football practice field collapsed late this afternoon with the student inside of it. The initial accounts of the collapse of the tower, which was actually a scissor lift, state that it may have been brought down by high winds, which had been gusting at upwards of 50 mph throughout the day.
The student, who was filming practice at the time of the accident, was transported to a local hospital following the collapse, where he later died. The name of the student is not being released, pending notification of relatives.
“We are deeply saddened by this tragic loss,” Notre Dame president Rev. John I. Jenkins said in a statement. “Our hearts go out to the student’s family and friends and our prayers and profound sympathies are with them during this incredibly difficult time. The loss of someone so young is a terrible shock and a great sadness. Our entire community shares in the family’s grief.”
Our sincerest thoughts, prayers and condolences go out to the family, friends and anyone else affected by the loss of this young man’s life.
(Writer’s note: it was erroneously reported earlier in the chaos of the day that the student who died was 21; in fact, he was 20, as noted in a correction by the school. We have edited this post to reflect the young man’s correct age.)