Emily Gold, a 17-year-old dancer and America’s Got Talent contestant from Los Angeles High School, passed away.
The San Bernardino Coroner’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE on Friday, September 13, at 11:52 p.m. that Gold had committed suicide.
CAHP Public Information Officer Rodrigo Jimenez published a statement with PEOPLE stating that “officers from the California Highway Patrol Rancho Cucamonga area responded to a pedestrian down in lanes.”
“When the officers arrived, they located a female, 17 years old, who was struck by at least one other vehicle in the carpool lane on eastbound 210,” Jimenez stated. “The female did succumb to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
Anyone with more information or who witnessed what happened is asked to get in touch with Officer S. Gonzalez, the police investigator.
People have requested comments from the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department, Los Osos High School, and representatives of America’s Got Talent.
The teenager from Southern California stunned the country last month on America’s Got Talent with the Los Osos High School dance team. The quartet advanced to the quarterfinals of the series after clearing the audition process, only to be ousted in August.
Judge Simon Cowell awarded the team a standing ovation for their energetic performance even though they were eliminated.
“It was absolutely brilliant,” Cowell said at the time. “What I loved about this was first of all the energy. I think what I just saw is everything a great school should be doing, which is encouraging talent and friendship.”
Cowell said, “It reminded me of seeing the High School Musical movie and thinking every kid should go to a school like that.”
Speaking with people on Aug. 13, Gold said of her time onstage, “When I’m performing, I’m really thinking about all the corrections because we get corrections up until five minutes before we go on stage. So to really just think about all those so that we apply them is my biggest priority on stage.”
When asked how she managed to perform on AGT while attending high school, she replied, “It’s definitely tough to balance it all, but we make it happen.”
Gold’s loved ones set up a GoFundMe page shortly after learning of her passing in order to collect money for the dancer’s family.
“With great sadness, we share our Los Osos Grizzly Emily Gold has passed away,” the fundraiser read. “As a community, let’s come together and support the Gold family in this difficult time. Please know this money will go directly to the family to support them and help with expenses.”
