A 16-year-old football player from Long Island, NY, has died after a log he was helping carry fell on his head during team drills, according to WNBC-TV in New York.
The player, Joshua Mileto, 16, was participating in a strength and conditioning drill in which a group of players were carrying a log over their heads, according police.
The 11th grader at Sachem East High School in Farmingville, LI., was taken to a local hospital, where he died.
School superintendent Dr. Kenneth Graham issued a statement on the district's website that called the incident a "horrific accident."
The Sachem Central School District Administration, Board of Education and entire school community are truly saddened to learn of the tragic loss of an 11th-grade Sachem High School East student. The student passed away from injuries suffered during an off-season football workout early this morning.
The district is devastated by this horrific accident and words cannot express the grief we feel as a school community. We extend our deepest condolences to the student's family and friends during this terribly difficult time.
We have enacted our Crisis Intervention Team and support services will be made available to students and staff for as long as needed as we mourn and try to cope with this loss.
All athletic and school-related activities, as well as all community-based group activities, have been cancelled for today at all buildings districtwide.
