The E.E. Smith High School community is mourning the tragic loss of three students and football players following a single motor vehicle crash Wednesday evening.

The Fayetteville Police Department reported that the incident occurred around 7:22 p.m. on October 8 in the 2700 block of Rosehill Road. Officers found a single vehicle that had run off the road and struck a telephone pole. Three occupants died on the scene, and a fourth was air-lifted to UNC Chapel Hill in critical condition.

The victims have been identified as E.E. Smith High School students and members of the football team: Trevor Merritt, Jaihyon Elliott, and Nick Williams.

In response to the heartbreaking loss, Cumberland County Schools (CCS) released a statement confirming the tragedy. CCS stated that their top priority is providing support, and the district’s Student Services team is on-site at E.E. Smith today to offer counseling and emotional support to students, faculty, and staff.

As a mark of respect for the students' families and the grieving school community, the South View High School Homecoming football game against E.E. Smith, which was scheduled for this Friday, October 10, has been postponed. A rescheduled date will be announced once it is finalized.

The Fayetteville Police Department’s Traffic Unit is actively investigating the cause of the crash. Additional details are expected to be released as the investigation proceeds.