Northridge High School junior Gabe Bowers, 16, was killed in crash Thursday in Elkhart County.

Jane Allen, the superintendent of Middlebury Schools, confirmed he was a student in a statement.

The Middlebury Schools community is deeply saddened by the loss of one of our students. This is a tragic event that no parent or family should ever have to endure, and is very hard for classmates and friends to understand.  Gabriel (Gabe) Bowers, a junior at Northridge High School was killed in a car accident yesterday afternoon. It is a very sad day for Northridge High School and the entire Middlebury Community School Community. Gabe was a wonderful young man who always had a positive attitude and according to his friends they could always count on him having a smile.  He will be greatly missed by the entire Northridge High School family, especially his friends.

She added grief counselors were at school Friday to help students cope with the loss.