6 students killed following semitruck crash in Oklahoma

Six high school-aged students were killed following a semitruck crash in Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon. 

The incident took place in Tishomingo, Okla., located more than 120 miles south of Oklahoma City at 12:30 p.m. local time, Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) spokeswoman Sarah Stewart told The Hill. Stewart characterized the car that the girls were in as a “small passenger vehicle.”

An official from OHP told KFOR at the time it was not immediately clear what led to the crash. 

“We don’t know the full nature or details of what caused the crash, only that the car at some point was at this stop sign and that in the following moments the semi hit them,” the OHP official told KFOR. “When we got to the scene you could see the car about 100 feet or so from the intersection completely totaled.”

Bobby Waitman, superintendent of Tishomingo Public Schools, said in a statement that the community had “suffered a great loss” following the tragedy.

“Our hearts are broken, and we are grieving with our students and staff. We have counselors available to students presently. We also have space prepared at Tishomingo High School with counselors available through the evening,” Waitman said. “Schools will be in session tomorrow at each campus, but our focus will be the emotional well-being of our students.”

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt (R) said that it was a “sad day” for the state, saying he and his wife were praying for the families of the six teens.