Teenagers at one San Diego middle school are mourning the suicide of a fellow student as school administrators offer coping tools.
Chris Jacquez shot himself Monday around 11 a.m. inside a Ramona home.
Jacquez attended Olive Peirce Middle School, was a drummer in the school’s jazz band, loved to sing and play soccer according to school officials.
Principal Linda Solis said her staff has brought in counselors to help students make sense of what she called a tragic, horrific loss.
“Chris is going to be very, very missed by all of us, by his family at home as well as his family at Olive Peirce,” she said.
The middle school focuses on helping students learn to value relationships with the message “Relationships are everything, go build some” posted around campus.
For students to cope with the tragedy, she said the school needs to offer them the right tools to handle what life throws at them.
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“One of the things we’re talking about with our kids is that one step in front of the other and how to deal with those issues in life,” Solis said.
Students were encouraged to wear orange and blue clothing to school in honor of Chris on Wednesday and will be invited to a candlelight vigil to be held in the band room Wednesday night.
They’ve also created some special videos to be shown to the student body on Thursday.
If you or anyone you know has thoughts of suicide, there is help available through the San Diego Access and Crisis Line (888) 724-7240 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
