Monessen High School student killed in Tuesday shooting
Monessen police said a 16-year-old high school student died Wednesday, after being shot Tuesday evening.
Facebook posts from the Monessen High School football coaching staff identified the victim as Amari Altomore. Altomore was a junior at the high school and a lineman for the football team.
Head Coach Wade Brown posted shortly after 2 p.m. that Altomore did not make it through surgery.
“I have so much to say, but I can’t get it out right. Love you Amari, and please watch over the city and your team as we try to deal with your tragic passing,” Brown wrote on Facebook.
Assistant Coach Vernon Andrews also shared his thoughts on social media.
“I can’t find any words to say cause us as coaches treat all the players like they are one of our own sons,” he wrote in a Facebook post.
Both coaches declined further comment, with Brown telling a reporter that he wanted to allow time for the family to grieve before speaking about Altomore.
Monessen Police Chief David Yuhasz said police responded to South 14th Street at about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, and that Altomore had been shot in the upper abdomen. He was flown from the scene to Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, where he died on Wednesday.
There is currently nobody in custody and no suspects in the case. Yuhasz said the shooting remains under investigation, and Westmoreland County detectives are assisting.
Monessen School District officials called a two hour delay Wednesday after learning of the shooting, and brought in two counselors from the Westmoreland Intermediate Unit.
“The two hour delay schedule we activated was to ensure our faculty and staff is prepared to deal with the event,” said Superintendent Dr. Robert Motte.
Motte said students were also given the option to stay home and take a mental health day.
“There were some students that did see the counselors,” Motte said.
In a letter issued to district parents later in the day, Motte said the district will continue to offer counseling and support services to all students and staff.
“A student death is a difficult and challenging situation that can generate a high level of anxiety and distress for some students,” Motte wrote, encouraging parents to be there for their children as they process Altomore’s death.
He also noted parents can call the school office to speak to someone in the guidance department at 724-68407100 to discuss specific concerns about their child’s well-being.
“This is a difficult time for everyone, but I know our students and staff will lean on each other as they fondly remember their classmate,” Motte wrote.