Teen Attempted Suicide By Setting Himself On Fire In School Cafeteria
Teen Attempted Suicide By Setting Himself On Fire In School Cafeteria
Posted on January 28, 2014
A 16-year-old Standley Lake sophomore lit himself on fire in the school cafeteria Monday morning in what police call a suicide attempt.
9NEWS crime and justice reporter Anastasiya Bolton learned the student is identified as Vince Nett.
Fire officials say more than 80 percent of the teen’s body was burned. Sources tell 9NEWS Nett tried to kill himself by dousing himself with oil and setting himself on fire just after 7 a.m. He was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition.
Nett did leave a suicide note on social media saying, “This is not someone’s fault. I had this planned for years.”
He went on to talk about his plans and how friends over the weekend tried to talk him out of it. He finishes the note saying, “If anyone says that they know why I did this…nobody knows and nobody will.”
Police are looking at his suicide note.
A teacher suffered minor lacerations to her hand while trying to get the fire extinguisher from its glass container. She was treated at the scene.
A custodian was able to grab the fire extinguisher and put the fire out quickly.
Fire officials say there is not a lot of damage to the building, but smoke did fill the area.
Firefighters investigating the cafeteria area also discovered an empty one-gallon can of fuel on the floor.
The Attorney General’s office says the student, 16, drank a water bottle full of bleach before setting himself on fire.
The Westminster Police Department is reviewing video taken in the cafeteria at the high school Monday morning.
Investigators are also at the victim’s home, searching for clues as to what led to his actions.
Police tell 9NEWS, the teen never tried to hurt other kids after setting himself on fire.
School was canceled for the day, and parents who already arrived on the campus were sent home. Classes are also canceled Tuesday but the school will be open from 7:30 to 11 a.m. to provide counseling to students.
