BY ROB SALERNO – Gay Iowa teenager Ken Weishuhn killed himself April 14 after receiving death threats from bullies at his high school. He was only 14 years old.
Weishuhn had come out to his Paullina, Iowa, high school community last month. In the weeks that followed, his friends turned on him. Bullies began to target him. Teasing started in the classroom, then migrated to a group on Facebook designed to promote hatred of gays in general and Weishuhn in particular. Weishuhn began receiving threatening phone calls, his family told Iowa’s KTIV news.
Weishuhn was, by available accounts, a bright and happy boy.
“Well, I love fashion, And i love modern fast, luxary cars. Also I love Louis Tomlinson, Alot [sic]” Wieshuhn wrote in the bio on his Pinterest page. He kept one page called “When I get married,” picturing the sorts of things he’d like at his wedding. In another gallery, called “Inspiration,” he posted messages from the It Gets Better campaign. Friends have posted a few comments there about how much they miss him and how they wish he’d spoken up and stuck around to fight back.
According to reports, the family has not decided if it will pursue charges against the bullies who tormented their son. The sheriff’s department is investigating the suicide but hasn’t yet drawn any conclusions.
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