The student was identified as nonbinary by their parents.
There are conflicting reports regarding the student’s name and gender identity, and they are believed to be part of the transgender and gender nonconforming community. The student was identified to be 16-year-old Nex Benedict by their mother in an interview with The Independent.
In a statement on the school’s website, school officials said: “Students were in the restroom for less than two minutes and the physical altercation was broken up by other students who were present in the restroom at the time, along with a staff member who was supervising outside of the restroom.”
According to police, the student was rushed back to a hospital the next day, where the student was pronounced dead.
Nex’s mother told the Independent that they had experience several months of bullying from students, and it followed state legislative policies that targeted the transgender community.