Lowell, Massachusetts is mourning Wichai Saksene, a 15-year-old Lowell High School freshman whose death was ruled a homicide after his body was found just outside a home on Orchard Terrace in Salem, New Hampshire on June 19, 2026.
The New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office said the teen died from a single gunshot wound to the chest, and officials have said there is no known threat to the public because all known parties have been identified.
The discovery prompted a fast-moving investigation involving Salem Police, New Hampshire State Police and the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office.
Officials said the exact circumstances remain under active investigation, and no arrests have been announced. The teen’s body was found outside a home after a 911 call led officers to the area early Friday morning.
Lowell High School community responds
Lowell Public Schools Superintendent Liam Skinner said Saksene was a freshman at Lowell High School and noted that he had also attended Stoklosa Middle School and Lincoln Elementary School.
The district has begun putting support in place for students and staff, including a critical incident team and counseling services at the school.
That support is already being felt in Lowell, where the loss has shaken classmates and families. A family fundraiser organized by Whendy Wongsee described Wichai as kind, outgoing and intelligent, and asked for help with funeral and cremation expenses.
In the fundraiser message, the family said he had a way of lighting up every room he entered and called him an amazing brother, uncle, son, grandson and friend.
Another post from a neighbor said Wichai lived in the apartment complex across from them and asked for prayers for the family.
That reaction reflects how quickly the tragedy spread beyond one family and into the surrounding community.
Police have not released a motive or any additional details about what happened before the shooting.
Officials said the investigation is still active and that more information will be released only when it can be done without harming the case.
For now, the focus in Lowell remains on Wichai’s family, his school and the people trying to process a loss that came far too soon. The family’s fundraiser asks for prayers, support and help covering funeral costs as they face the difficult days ahead.
