- Details
- By Jenna Kunze
A Holbrook Indian School student was killed and six others were injured on Sunday morning when a semi-truck rear-ended a school bus that was taking them to Window Rock, Arizona, on a field trip.
The accident occurred at approximately 9:28 a.m., while the bus was headed eastbound on Interstate 40 near Sanders, Arizona, according to a report obtained by Native News Online from the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
The collision occurred when a commercial vehicle failed to stop for a backup of cars from a previous collision and struck the Holbrook Indian School shuttle van carrying the school children. The collision caused the school shuttle to then crash into a passenger van in front of it.
The Holbrook shuttle van was carrying 23 people, including multiple minors. Seventeen-year-old Kiarra Gordon (Diné ) of Wide Ruins, Ariz., was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the report. She was a student at the Seventh Day Adventist School Indian School in Holbrook, Arizona.
“This is a very sad day for the Holbrook Indian School community; one of our students died, and six others were injured in a school bus accident this morning,” Ulysses Campos, vice-principal for Student Life at Holbrook Indian School, wrote in a statement on the school’s website. Our concerns now are for our parents and families as we uphold and grieve with them. We ask that you would be patient and respectful as we work through this as a school community, and we solicit your prayers on behalf of everyone impacted by this tragedy.”
The victim’s aunt, Falonna Ashley, posted a message and photo on Facebook grieving her niece.
“It is with deep sadness we announce the unexpected passing of our beloved Kiarra Gordon,” she wrote. “She was a beautiful, sweet, smart & talented young woman who was always a joy to be around. We lost her through a semi/bus accident today. This hurts so much.”
Ashley wrote that the family is accepting donations through Zelle.
“We are accepting donations through Zelle:
Bank of America
Falonna Ashley
480-329-8551
Donations can also be dropped off at Albert Clark's residence in Wide Ruins.
More Stories Like This
Native News Weekly (August 25, 2024): D.C. BriefsUS Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians
Native News Weekly (August 4, 2024): D.C. Briefs
NEXT ON NATIVE BIDASKÉ: The Policy Slowly Erasing Tribes
American Indian Chamber of Commerce of Wisconsin Announces Grant Opportunities
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
