A freshman at Redondo Union High School died after falling from his family’s balcony in Redondo Beach on Monday night.
The ninth-grade student, Vincent Barbee, died after he “suffered a tragic fall” on Monday night from a three-story building, according to a joint statement from Redondo Union Principal Jens Brandt and Redondo Beach Unified School Superintendent Steven Keller.
“The Redondo Union High School students, staff, parents, and guardians are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students,” the statement read.
Barbee, 15, fell from the balcony of his family’s beachfront home in the 500 block of the Esplanade around 6:30 p.m., according to the Daily Breeze. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
A cause of death was not immediately known, but Redondo Beach police do not suspect foul play, the newspaper reported. Investigators are working to determine whether the teen’s death was the result of an accident or a suicide.
The student was identified as the son of former Redondo Beach City Councilwoman Martha Barbee, according to the newspaper. He was a U.S. Navy sea cadet, according to the Easy Reader.
“The Barbee family is a significant force in our learning community—Vince will be missed. We ask that respect be given to the student’s family, so they have the opportunity to grieve in private,” the statement from Brandt and Keller said.
KTLA’s Steve Bien contributed to this story.