Graduation Plans Shattered After Tragedy In Upstate New York

An 18-year-old student from Upstate New York was killed just days before graduation. Police and school officials are still trying to piece together what happened in the moments before the tragedy.

An Upstate New York high school senior was killed on Memorial Day, just days before graduation.

Capital Region Rocked By Death Of High School Student

Eric Paulus, 18, has been identified as the person who was hit and killed by a train early Monday morning on Putnam Road in Rotterdam.

Police responded to reports of a person being hit by a train around 2:13 a.m. on Memorial Day. Paulus was declared dead on the scene.

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It's unclear what happened in the moments before the 18-year-old's death.

Schalmont Central School District Releases Statement.

Paulus was a high school senior at Schalmont High School. He was just a few weeks away from graduating.

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"It is with the heaviest of hearts that Schalmont shares with our community that Eric Paulus, one of our seniors, passed away over the weekend. Eric was a wonderful young man and our entire Schalmont community sends our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and all who knew him in this incredibly difficult time," the school stated.

The investigation into the tragedy is ongoing.

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