Appleton Police Department patch. (PHOTO: Courtesy of Fox 11 WLUK)
APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Appleton Police Department continues to investigate a vehicular incident which FOX 11 has learned left a local teen dead.
Clergy and school officials confirmed the victim is Jacob Hackl, a sophomore at Appleton’s Xavier High School.
“Jacob is very strong and he is a fighter. He’s stronger than all of us.” That’s how Hackl’s best friend described him Monday night, during a Mass at St. Pius in Appleton, where close to 1,000 people prayed for a miracle.
“Faith, hope and love, and the greatest of these is love. We’re here tonight because of faith. We’re here tonight because of hope. And we’re here tonight because of love. Our love for Jacob and for his family,” said Fr. Jim Jugenheimer, pastor at St. Pius X.
Just hours earlier, on Monday morning, Appleton police were called to a residence on the city’s north side for an individual with life-threatening injuries.
In a news release, police said initial reports said the injured individual was riding on the exterior of a vehicle. Responding officers found the victim on the ground.
“Jacob was flown from Neenah to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee after a terrible car accident at around 1 a.m. His brain, lungs, and heart are compromised and without a miracle he will soon meet our Lord,” said a text message from Hackl’s mom to a parishioner.
On Wednesday, Xavier school officials and Jugenheimer, the pastor at the Hackl family’s parish, confirmed to FOX 11 that Jacob has died.
The school held a Mass for Hackl, and we’re told counselors were on site.
Appleton police tell FOX 11 they have no new information to share about the incident and referred us back to the department’s original news release. We’re told the investigation continues, interviews are ongoing and it’s unclear if anyone will be facing charges related to the teen’s death.
Comments