Counseling Ready for Monday Morning Following Death of Altamont Student Saturday Night

Altamont school officials had a counseling team ready for Monday morning following the death of an Altamont Community High School student Saturday night.

Altamont Superintendent Jeff Fritchtnitch said the young man, a 15-year-old sophomore student at Altamont, died in an area of the Altamont district in Fayette County. Fritchtnitch said the young man was not at home at the time of his death. Fayette County Coroner Bruce Bowen said the death was due to a single gunshot wound. Bowen pronounced the death at the scene at 8:24pm. Bowen said Monday afternoon that an autopsy indicated that the boy's death was due to a self-inflicted wound.

Altamont officials worked Saturday night to contact ministers in the Altamont community in case young people would be in need of counseling Sunday. In addition, the Altamont district's counseling team and a team from the Regional Superintendent's Office were in place starting this morning for junior high and high school students and teachers who need to talk about the incident.