A high school student was fatally struck by a school bus as she attempted to cross a parkway in Winchester, Ky. on Tuesday, Sept. 3, authorities said.
In a statement shared with PEOPLE, the Clark County Coroner identified the victim as 15-year-old McKenna Letcher. They also confirmed that she was “pronounced dead at the scene, as a result of injuries sustained, when she was struck by a Clark County school bus.”
Per the coroner’s statement, “She was attempting to cross the Veterans Memorial Parkway near the intersection of Ironworks Road.”
Scene of an accident in Winchester, Ky, on Sept. 3, 2024.
WLKY News Louisville/YouTube
In a Facebook update posted on Tuesday, the Winchester Police Department reported that the intersection was “closed for an unknown amount of time due to an injury accident,” while Clark County Public Schools (CCPS) shared that it was “aware of the bus accident” and was “work[ing] through this terrible event.”
Later that same day, CCPS Superintendent Dustin Howard issued a statement on social media, saying he was “heartbroken” by the news of the incident.
Although Letcher was not mentioned by name in the statement, Howard wrote that “a CCPS bus was involved in an accident with a pedestrian this morning at the intersection of Ironworks Road and Veterans Memorial Parkway.”
“We are profoundly sad to announce that the pedestrian, a current George Rogers Clark High School student, passed away,” he continued, before asking the public to keep the student’s family, the school system and the community in their thoughts and prayers “as we work through this very difficult time.”
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear offered his condolences via X (formerly Twitter), writing, “My heart aches for the family and friends of this precious child lost in this tragedy.”
He added, “Please join Britainy [Beshear] and me in lifting up the Clark County community in prayers of peace and comfort.”
The coroner’s office said it will investigate the accident along with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.
