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A teen was shot dead by San Diego police after calling 911 on himself and pointing a BB gun at responding officers, in what is believed to be a suicide mission.

The 15-year-old Torrey Pines High School student wrote a suicide note before calling officers to the front of the school, asking them to check on the welfare of an unarmed boy, around 3.30am on Saturday.

“We believe that he called the police and pulled the gun on them so that he would be shot”, Assistant Police Chief Brian Ahearn said.

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The tragic incident, which is now believed to be a set-up police confrontation to enable a suicide, occurred just hours before students were due to take the SAT college entrance exam at the school.

After the unidentified teen made the 911 call, responding officers arrived on the scene. The student then pulled out what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at the police.

The 911 caller failed to comply with the officers present, who had drawn their own weapons, and began to approach them, all the while ignoring all demands to drop the weapon.

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‘Fearing for their safety, both officers fired their weapons at the male, striking him numerous times,’ Lt Mike Holden said in a statement.

They performed first aid and summoned paramedics, but the teen was pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the police statement.

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Mourners have since come out to pay their respects to the fallen teenager.

A statement from Eric Dill, superintendent of the San Diego Union High School District reads, “Our hearts go out to the student, his family and his friends”.

A crisis-response team was on the school campus yesterday to support students, staff and parents, Dill added.

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Dill also confirmed that counselling has been made available at all district schools for anyone who wants to talk about the shooting or “to mourn and process this tragedy”.