PETERSBURG, Va. (WRIC) — Police have identified the teenager killed by a train in Petersburg on Tuesday as 15-year-old Henry De la Cruz.
At around 10 a.m. on Tuesday, police responded to the 2300 block of Buckner Street in the east Walnut Hill comunity for a report of a person struck by an eastbound Norfolk Southern train.
Responding officers found Cruz’s body, and investigators later determined that the juvenile was walking on the tracks and did not respond to emergency sirens because he had earphones in.
8News has learned that De la Cruz was a student at Petersburg High School.
Petersburg High School issued the following statement Wednesday:
Yesterday, one of our high school students, Henry De la Cruz, was involved in a tragic accident that resulted in his death. Grief counselors are available for students and faculty who may need to discuss this loss. Petersburg Schools extends our deepest condolences to Henry’s family, and our students and staff during this difficult time.
Police say the conductor of the train will likely not face any charges.
“We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of everyone involved in the tragic accident,” Petersburg spokesperson Esther Hyatt said in a release. “This is the second train accident in Petersburg this year and while the first incident did not result in a fatality, we remind the community be aware of the dangers of moving locomotives.”
