Teen dies, at least 3 others hospitalized after deadly fentanyl exposure at Alabama high school: Report

An Alabama community is devastated after one high school student died and at least three others were hospitalized following what many believe was an exposure to fentanyl.

On Tuesday, several students at Selma High School in Selma, Alabama, became severely ill and were rushed to an area hospital. Sadly, one of the students, a 16-year-old male sophomore, has since died, though it is unclear whether he died at the school, the hospital, or some other location. The other students have been treated and are expected to recover.

Since the students first became ill, some have openly speculated that they had taken some kind of painkiller laced with fentanyl, according to Fox News, though others, including the mayor of Selma, have cautioned against such presumptions.

"Jumping to conclusions or making unproven statements may interfere with the investigation," Mayor James Perkins Jr. said in a statement. "I ask that we not do that."

In his statement, Perkins added that several law enforcement agencies — including the Selma Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation, and the Dallas County Sheriff Department — were assisting in the investigation. He also added a personal note of grief regarding the young man's passing.

"Because the deceased is a juvenile, I will not mention him by name," Perkins wrote.

"[J]ust know that his death is very close to me. I considered him a son."

Though fentanyl is believed to have caused the young man's death and the other health emergencies experienced by several other students, Dallas County district attorney Michael Jackson said his office is waiting for toxicology and autopsy reports before making any firm conclusions.

"It doesn’t take much [fentanyl] to kill you," Jackson stated.

Selma City Schools superintendent Zickeyous Byrd has excused many of the student absences that have occurred in the following days and made grief counselors available to both students and staff.

"When an event of this magnitude touches one family, it affects us all," Byrd said in a letter. "Selma High is an essential part of this district, and we jointly share the responsibility of developing our vital resource — our children."

Mayor Perkins has asked everyone to continue to pray for everyone in the Selma community.