Levi Black: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

(Facebook)

A 17-year-old student in Indiana hanged himself in the locker room of his school before the start of school. The student is Levi Black of New Castle, Indiana. He was found dead in Shenandoah Middle School on the afternoon of November 11. He just turned 17 on October 26.

If you, or anybody you know has suicide thoughts, please call 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-273-8255 to talk to somebody. Those numbers are open 24 hours a day and are confidential.

Here’s what you need to know about a life that was ended far too soon:

1. School Was Suspended After Levi Was Found Dead

(Shenandoah Middle School)

According to an alert on the Shenandoah Middle School website, the school is closed on November 11. That message just says there was a “situation” at the school.

2. He Was Last Seen Being Dropped Off for School

(Twitter)

Black was last seen being dropped off at school on the morning of November 11, reports WTHR. He was found dead inside of a boy’s locker room in the school at around 10 a.m. on November 11. His death has been described by WTHR as “self-inflicted.” Henry County Sheriff Richard A. McCorkle told The Indianapolis Star “We have some terribly distraught kids here.”

3. He Was a Wrestling Enthusiast

According to his Facebook page, Black lived in New Castle, Indiana, but was a native of Middletown, where his school is located. The two towns are separated by a little over 15 miles. In March 2015, he wrote on Facebook that he was back on the site for the first time in a year.

On his Ask.fm page, he says that his hero is Olympic gold medalist wrestler Jordan Burroughs.

4. Twitter Has Been Bombarded With Tributes to the Young Man

As news of his death spread, Twitter has been bombarded with friends and those who didn’t even know Black, paying tribute to the young man. Here are some of the most touching:

5. Teenage Boys Are 4 Times More Likely to Commit Suicide Than Their Female Counterparts

Levi Black pictured when he was 12 years old. (Facebook)

According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, those aged 15 to 24 account for nearly 11 percent of suicides in the U.S. Suicides among men are four times higher than women. If you, or anybody you know has suicide thoughts, please call 1-800-784-2433 or 1-800-273-8255 to talk to somebody. Those numbers are open 24 hours a day and are confidential.