Students at Winter Park High School are coming to grips with the death of fellow student Roger Trindade, angry and confused about the attack that led to the 15-year-old's death.
- Roger Trindade, 15, taken off life support Monday
- Trindade was found beaten in Winter Park on Saturday night
- Investigators have found teens who they think beat him
- PREVIOUS STORY: Winter Park High teen dies 2 days after beating
Winter Park High School Principal Tim Smith said grief counselors were on hand and PSAT / SAT tests scheduled for this week, have been postponed until next month.
Investigators said a fight broke out just before 10 p.m. Saturday night, and Trindade was beaten. They said he may have been sprayed in the face with something, instigating the fight.
Trindade, who moved from Brazil about a year ago, was beaten, punched and kicked, a police report said. He was taken to a hospital and put on life support.
“The Trindade family is very thankful for all the extended communities thoughts and prayers. The family has requested privacy at this time to mourn the loss of their son,” Winter Park Mayor Steve Leary said.
Trindade was a member of Winter Park High School's International Baccalaureate Program. He spoke three languages and took advanced math and science classes.
"I'm really mad because he didn't deserve that and it was just like a joke, what the kids played on him and his friend," said Sophia Medina, Trindade's friend and advanced math study partner. "They just did it with no sense of what was going on and they did it out of immaturity and they thought, 'oh, let me spray this in this kid's face, it will be funny.'"
"Nobody really wants to talk about it that much but after the announcement, you could feel the grief in the room," shared Winter Park High School Xavier Marquez, who didn't know Roger Trindade.
"Why did they do that? There was no need for young kids to take it the extreme to have a child lose his life," saidd Xavier's mother, Aida Concepcion.
The Orange County Medical Examiner's Office concluded an autopsy on Trindade Wednesday.
Orange County spokesperson Carrie Proudfit said the cause and manner of death are pending further analysis and toxicology testing. That's a process that could take several weeks to conclude.
“What we do know at this particular time is that this was not gang-related," said Winter Park Police Chief Michael Deal on Tuesday. "This was not racially motivated and certainly not a hate crime, at least that’s what we’re finding out so far.”
On Wednesday, Winter Park police officers were seen patrolling Park Avenue on foot.
Detectives said nearby workers are turning over surveillance video of the Saturday night fight.
Still without any arrests, Roger's friends want to make sure their classmate with a contagious laugh is not forgotten.
"No one at the age of 16 should be mourning the loss of their 15-year-old friend," Medina said, holding back tears.
Roger Trindade was an organ donor and his final gift to the world will help several others continue living.
Anyone with information about this incident should call the Winter Park Police Department or CRIMELINE at 1-800-423-TIPS (8477).