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Friends remember Indiana teen who died in balcony fall

INDIANAPOLIS — Dozens of friends of an 18-year-old Purdue University freshman released balloons during a vigil outside the downtown Indianapolis apartment building where he fatally fell from a fifth-floor balcony.

About 60 people gathered Monday evening near the IUPUI campus to remember Xavier Somerville. Police say he fell about 3 a.m. Monday while trying to swing down to a balcony below after officers arrived to break up a party where several underaged people were drinking alcohol.

The Indianapolis Star reports that friend Connor Nash urged the crowd to remember their good times with Somerville, who graduated this year from Lawrence Central High School where he was the homecoming king.

Clayton LaBarr told WRTV that Somerville’s parents wanted those at the gathering to learn from their mistakes and help prevent such tragedies.

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