14-year-old David Phan shot and killed himself in front of his classmates after being subject to intense bullying.

Phan left the school at 1:30pm last Thurdsday, but returned at 3pm. Without warning, he  went over to the bridge outside Bennion Junior High School and shot himself in the head.

Phan had never reported any incidents of bullying, although the student had been contacted regularly by the school counselor over some concerns with his peers.

“We have no formal reports of bullying,” school district spokesman Ben Horsley said. “We don’t have any student come forward to talk about bullying.”

After his death, students came forward and told school officials that they believe that Phan killed himself due to unprovoked bullying.

“I heard it, people talking about him,” Phan’s classmate Makayla Schmidt tells reporters. “I don’t think people realize how much words can hurt.”

“He was one of the sweetest guys I’ve ever known,” 9th-grader Hunter Evensen recalled of Phan.

The school is currently investigating the allegations.