America’s Got Talent contestant Emily Gold, 17, commits suicide

Dancer and dancer from Los Osos High School America’s Got Talent contestant Emily Gold, 17, has died.

On Friday, September 13, Gold was found dead by suicide at 11:52 p.m., the San Bernardino Coroner’s Office confirmed to PEOPLE.

In a statement shared with PEOPLE, California Highway Patrol Public Information Officer Rodrigo Jimenez said, “California Highway Patrol officers in the Rancho Cucamonga area responded to a pedestrian who had fallen into the lane.”

“When officers arrived, they found a 17-year-old female who had been struck by at least one other vehicle in the carpool lane on the eastbound 210,” Jimenez said. “The female succumbed to her injuries and was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

Police asked anyone who saw what happened or has additional information to contact their investigator, Officer S. Gonzalez.

PEOPLE has reached out to the Rancho Cucamonga Police Department and representatives from America’s Got Talent and Los Osos High School for comments.

Last month, the Southern California teen wowed the nation as a member of the Los Osos High School dance team. America’s Got TalentAfter passing the auditions, the group reached the quarter-finals of the series before being eliminated in August.

Despite their elimination, judge Simon Cowell praised the team’s energetic performance with a standing ovation.

“It was absolutely brilliant,” Cowell said at the time. “What I loved about it was the energy. I think what I saw was everything a great school should do, which is foster talent and friendship.”

Cowell continued: “It reminded me of seeing the The High School Musical “I was watching a movie and I thought every kid should go to a school like that.”

Speaking with PEOPLE on August 13, Gold said of his time on stage, “When I perform, I really think about all the corrections, because we get corrections up to five minutes before we go on stage. So really thinking about all of that so that we implement it is my biggest priority on stage.”

She was asked how she manages to balance her high school studies with her stage performances. ACT, She said: “It’s definitely difficult to balance all of that, but we’re doing it.”

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Shortly after news of her death broke, Gold’s loved ones organized a GoFundMe fundraiser to raise money for the dancer’s family.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our Los Osos grizzly, Emily Gold,” the fundraiser reads. “As a community, let’s come together and support the Gold family during this difficult time. Please know that this money will go directly to the family to support them and help cover their expenses.”

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline 988 by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visiting 988lifeline.org.