Recent Evanston Township High School graduate Erin Carey died early Tuesday morning after being mistakenly presumed dead by paramedics, the Chicago Tribune reported.

According to the Cook County medical examiner’s office, 17-year-old Carey died of a gunshot wound to the head on the West Side of Chicago. He was among six people shot at a party early Monday morning when paramedics covered him with a sheet for about an hour before beginning life-saving measures and transporting him to Stroger Hospital, the Tribune wrote.

He died about 20 hours later at 1:14 a.m Tuesday.

In a press conference Wednesday, Carey’s father, Eric Carey, said he thinks the Chicago Fire Department “really dropped the ball” regarding his son’s death.

“You don’t throw a sheet over his head and walk to the next person,” Eric Carey said at the press conference. “Did you check and see if he even had a pulse?”  

In a Tuesday email to the ETHS community, principal Marcus Campbell wrote that the school is “deeply saddened” by the loss of Carey, a member of the class of 2018, and noted that an investigation into his death is ongoing.

“Many of our students and staff will have a difficult time dealing with the loss of a fellow Wildkit,” the email said. “We extend our heartfelt sympathy to Erin’s family and friends, our students, and staff.”

This article was updated Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with comments from Erin Carey’s father.

A previous version of this article misstated where the incident took place. It took place on the West Side of Chicago. The Daily regrets the error.

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