SHAFTER, Calif. (KERO) — Members of the Shafter community stood near where a Shafter High School student was hit by a train to honor them as they recover from their injuries, and advocated for change along the railway.
- Shafter High School Principal Russell Shipley confirmed to 23ABC that it was a student who was hit by a train on Thursday, but said the school would not be releasing the name of the student out of respect for the family. Shipley added that the school was notified that the student made it through surgery and was in critical but stable condition.
- On Friday, 23ABC met Suzette Gama, a parent of a student in Shafter, who knew the teen who was hit. She said the situation was frustrating because, in her mind, without change, it could happen again.
- During the demonstration, Jesus Sanchez, a friend of the student, said he was in disbelief when he heard the news and fully expected to see the teen later that afternoon. Now, a day later, Sanchez said he hopes his friend has a speedy recovery and hopes the demonstration they put on starts the conversation surrounding change at the railroad crossing.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Members of the Shafter Community and friends of the Shafter High Schooler who was hit by a train came together to not only rally around them, but advocate for change
The teen was hit by an Amtrak train Thursday afternoon at the rail crossing near Central Avenue and Central Valley Highway, also known as Highway 43.
Shafter High School Principal Russell Shipley confirmed a Shafter High School student was hit by a train, but said they do not plan to release the identity of the student out of respect for the family.
Less than 24 hours after the tragic news hit members in the Shafter community, residents were planning ways to honor the teen, while advocating for change along the railway.
Suzette Gama, a parent in shafter, said she knows the student who was hit, tand hat her children are friends with him.
"I feel mad, angry, sad, because I know him personally. My kids know him personally, they're really close to each other, and something needs to be done because it's going to continue happening if nothing is done."
Near the spot where their friend was hit, several shafter high school students and shafter community members took to the street to advocate for their friend, donning signs advocating for a pedestrian bridge, the slowing of trains that run through Shafter and more, all while wearing necklaces and bracelets adorned with photos of their friend who was hit.
Jesus Sanchez, a freshman at Shafter High, says he’s known the teen since kindergarten, and the two were slated to meet up at the gym that evening. When Sanchez heard the news, he was in disbelief.
“They said someone got hit, but when I found out it was him, I was still in denial because he was supposed to meet me at the gym. So I was thinking, ‘Oh he’s going to walk through the doors of the gym any second,” but he just didn’t,” said Sanchez.
Sanchez adding he hopes the demonstration pushes change through Shafter.
“I hope to slow the train down and bring awareness to this situation that happened, and if possible, make a bridge so people feel safer when crossing.”
According to Shipley, the high school was told that the Student who was hit is in the intensive care unit, successfully had surgery, and is in critical but stable condition.
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