JOPLIN, Mo. — A high school student was killed Thursday when he was apparently crushed by a basketball goal in the gymnasium of a local elementary school.

Joplin High School students mourned the unusual, accidental death of their classmate, 18-year-old Spencer Nicodemus. Nicodemus was volunteering at Irving Elementary School in the city of 50,000, when he was killed during an accident in the gymnasium.

Jasper County, Missouri, Coroner Rob Chappel said the accident “appears to be some kind of a crush incident.” 

He said Nicodemus’s body is being taken to Kansas City for an autopsy scheduled for Friday.

The Joplin School District said emergency medical personnel responded shortly after 9 a.m. and took Nicodemus to the hospital, where he died.

“The student’s family is in our thoughts and hearts during this very difficult time,” said a statement from the district. The Joplin High School athletics department has canceled all practices at the high school today and is making coaches available to students after school

Joplin police Capt. Rusty Rives said the police department would investigate.

“As a matter of protocol, we are conducting an investigation into what happened,” he said. “There’s no sign of anything criminal. We’ll investigate from that and go from there.”

Brandon Eggleston, principal of Joplin High School, said counselors would be available to students.

“We’ve got additional counselors (at the high school) now to help out, and we’re there for our kids,” he said. “We’re grieving, and we’re supporting our students through that process.”

Steve Gilbreth, assistant superintendent of learning services, said in a recorded telephone message to parents that counselors also would be placed at Irving.

“Students are being allowed the time to talk to counselors, and those processes are being made available to them,” he said.

Younker writes for the Joplin, Missouri Globe. Globe metro editor Andy Ostmeyer and sports writer Adam Burns contributed to this report.