Prayers were held at an Edmonton school on Tuesday, the day after a student there was killed in a horrific crash on the city’s south side.
Friends of the victims have identified them as 16-year-old Wael Rahimi and 19-year-old Ishaq Assaf.
Rahimi attended Queen Elizabeth School. In a video address to the school on Tuesday morning, principal Brent McKeown acknowledged the loss and said, “This is a terrible, terrible time for our whole school community.”
“We’ll get through this,” he added.
Police continue to investigate the crash but have said that at this point, “speed is believed to be a factor.”
Emergency crews responded to the single-vehicle crash at Calgary Trail near 41 Avenue S.W. at about 6:30 p.m. on Monday. Police said the vehicle, which was being driven by a 16-year-old boy who survived the crash, is believed to have lost control before entering the centre median, striking a culvert and then rolling several times.
Before it rolled, it’s believed a 16-year-old passenger fell out of the vehicle. The victim, identified by friends as Rahimi, was pronounced dead at the scene. The other passenger, whom friends have identified as Assaf, was airlifted to hospital where he later died of his injuries.
READ MORE: 2 people dead after single-vehicle crash on Calgary Trail: Edmonton police
Global News spoke to Mohammed Al-Rawi outside Queen Elizabeth School on Tuesday. He said he knew Rahimi since they were in Grade 2.
“This came out of nowhere,” he said, adding that he found out about the crash when a friend made an emotional call to break the news to him Monday night.
“(The school community was) very sombre, very sad (today),” Al-Rawi said, adding that he considered Rahimi a friend. “He was a very active guy, a well-known guy.
“He had no enemies. Everyone was his friend.”
Al-Rawi added that he wants Rahimi’s family to know the community will be there to offer support as it copes with the tragedy.
“I know he has younger sisters,” he said.
“I can’t imagine what they are going through… I don’t want to imagine that.”
Global News spoke to a friend of Assaf who described him as “always (being) the guy to put people in front of him.”
“(He) treated me like I was a little brother,” the friend said. “Amazing heart.”
In a statement issued to Global News on Tuesday, a spokesperson for the Edmonton Public School Board said the young people involved in the crash are current and former students.
“Some schools are bringing in additional supports for those impacted by yesterday’s events,” the statement reads. “The (school) division’s critical incident support services team will provide support to staff and students. The team is made up of trained professionals who provide support and comfort in difficult times like this.
“Our thoughts are with these students and their families as they grieve their loved ones during this difficult time.”
–With files from Dan Grummett, Global News
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