By Tim Stelloh, Sarah Guevara and Minyvonne Burke -
NBC News
Authorities acknowledged Tuesday that there are unresolved questions in the case of the death of a 16-year-old Oklahoma student, who died a day after a fight in a bathroom at his high school.
The Feb. 7 fight occurred on the west campus of Owasso High School, northeast of the city of Tulsa, Oklahoma, police and school officials said.
Chuck Hoskin Jr., principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, on Tuesday identified the teen as
Nex Benedict
.
Facade of the west campus of Owasso High School, northeast of Tulsa, Oklahoma.Google Maps
Nex was not a citizen of the nation but lived on the Cherokee reservation, Hoskin said in a statement.
He said he had asked local authorities to assist the Owasso Police Department in its investigation into Nex's death.
"The facts surrounding Nex's death are still not entirely clear," Hoskin said, adding, "The more we learn about Nex's life, the more we will come to know a wonderful boy whose experience and identity mattered and deserved to be celebrated. Above all, Nex deserved to live a full life."
"[His life]
was tragically cut short
," he said.
"May Nex rest in peace."
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Nex's mother told the Independent that the 16-year-old had been bullied at school because of his gender identity.
NBC News' efforts to contact Nex's family were unsuccessful.
It is unclear whether the alleged harassment was related to Nex's death on February 8.
The cause of the student's death has not been made public, and the Owasso Police Department reported Tuesday that it was unclear if the fight was related to his death.
An investigation is ongoing, authorities said.
The Oklahoma Medical Examiner's Office did not provide additional details Tuesday.
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In a statement Tuesday, the Owasso Public Schools Department indicated that
"speculation and misinformation"
about the case had intensified in recent days despite the district's "commitment to the safety and well-being of students."
"We understand the importance of ensuring a safe and inclusive environment for all students, and we know that the following information does not change the fact that a fight occurred on school grounds and a student died the next day," the statement said. .
School district officials said the students involved in the fight were in the bathroom for less than two minutes and the altercation was broken up by other students, along with a staff member who was supervising outside the room.
All of the students "walked under their own power" to the nurse and vice principal's office after the brawl.
Administrators took statements and contacted his parents, according to the district.
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The students were also
evaluated by a
district nurse, per protocol, school officials said.
"In the interest of caution," the parents of one student were advised to take their child to a medical facility for further evaluation, the district said in its statement.
Police were called to Bailey Medical Center by a parent who wanted to report that the student had been in a fight, according to the law enforcement statement.
A school police officer also responded to the hospital.
The teenager was pronounced dead the next day, the police department said.
Sue Benedict, who identified herself as the student's mother to KJRH, told the station that her son was an A student who loved animals and enjoyed cooking.
The district called
the death "devastating
. "
"We recognize the impact this event has had on the entire school community, and it is our priority to foster an environment where everyone feels heard, supported and safe," district officials stated.