A 15-year-old Loudoun Valley High School sophomore died Monday morning, Oct. 19, following an encounter with a Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office deputy in Round Hill.

The incident occurred along East Loudoun Street after law enforcement officers began searching for the teenager, who had been reported missing and endangered and was believed to be carrying multiple firearms.

According to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office, the Purcellville Police Department requested assistance at approximately 9 a.m. in locating the juvenile.

Approximately 50 minutes later, at 9:50 a.m., a sheriff’s deputy located the teenager walking west along East Loudoun Street in the 36000 block.

As the deputy approached, the teenager produced a firearm and sustained what authorities described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The Sheriff’s Office reported that as the teenager fired his weapon, the deputy discharged one round from his service firearm.

The deputy immediately began rendering medical assistance, but the teenager was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Sheriff’s Office has not provided additional details about the sequence of events, including whether the deputy’s round struck the teenager. Authorities have also not disclosed the circumstances surrounding the initial missing and endangered person report.

The teenager was a sophomore at Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville, where news of his death brought sadness to the school community.

In a message to families, Loudoun Valley High School Principal Sue Ross expressed her condolences and acknowledged the emotional impact of the tragedy.

“We are deeply saddened by this news,” Ross wrote.

“A traumatic event can evoke a wide range of emotions, and I know that the Loudoun Valley community shares in the family’s loss and grief.”

Ross emphasized that the school is prepared to assist students as they process the news.

“The safety and well-being of our students is always our main priority, and we are prepared to support our students’ emotional needs as they arise,” she wrote.

The circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under active investigation.

Anyone with information that could assist investigators is asked to contact Detective Wilhelm of the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office at 703-777-1021.