Boy who died after jumping from Riverfront Park bridge attended Yasuhara Middle School

The boy who jumped off a Riverfront Park bridge and drowned Wednesday night was a Yasuhara Middle School student, according to Spokane Public Schools.

School district officials declined to release the name of the student. The Spokane County Medical Examiner’s Office also did not release the boy’s identity Thursday.

The boy and three other teens jumped off the orange pedestrian bridge north of the Rotary Fountain at the downtown park, Spokane Fire Department spokesman Justin de Ruyter said.

Firefighters were called to the scene at about 7 p.m., and divers recovered the unconscious boy, who was in his early teens, nearly an hour later about 100 feet from where he jumped from the bridge, de Ruyter said.

The other three teens escaped from the cold water unhurt.

In an email to Yasuhara students’ families, school officials wrote that extra counselors, district administrators and other support specialists were at the school Thursday to help staff and students.

“It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we share the news that a Yasuhara student passed away last night in a tragic accident,” the email said.

“We understand you may have questions, and unfortunately, we don’t have many answers yet and want to respect the privacy of those affected,” the email added.

Meanwhile, messages like, “RIP Jo” and “Fly high,” were written in chalk Thursday on the bridge’s concrete pathway. Chalk was available for people to write a note.

A bright green poster in the message area said, “Rip Jo,” with several white tea light candles placed on top of the poster.

Several first responders, including a dive team, water rescue teams, ambulances and several vehicles from local law enforcement agencies and fire departments responded Thursday to the attempted water rescue. Dozens of people watched the search from the perimeter of the water.

Jeanniene Lee, who was visiting from Texas, was on a walk at the park when “all of a sudden I heard a commotion,” she said.

She heard people saying children were in the water, and she saw the boy floating.

“Then, all of a sudden we didn’t see him anymore,” Lee said. “He just went under.”

De Ruyter said the water’s current can be “very deceiving,” especially this time of year when the water’s flow rates are high.

“DANGER, EXTREME CURRENT, STAY OUT, STAY ALIVE” signs are posted to the walls around the pond near the bridge.

Spokane police spokeswoman Julie Humphreys said police are investigating the death.