The second week of school for the Bradford Area School District
started on a sad note as teachers and students alike deal with the
death of a first grader.

Nickolas John Ash, 6, was apparently murdered by his father,
John V. Ash, who then turned the gun on himself.

“It was a horrible loss for our school community,”
Superintendent Sandra Romanowski said Wednesday. “Our prayers are
with his family.”

Nickolas was a first-grade student at George G. Blaisdell
Elementary School. Principal Dave Jones referred all calls to
Romanowski.

The Kane-based state police are still investigating the
incident. A state police spokesman said they were not sure how long
the investigation would take.

“We need to make sure we cover all the bases,” he said, adding
they are still investigating any motive for the incident.

In the school district, Romanowski said they had a crisis team
in place Wednesday morning, which included her and mental health
professionals.

“Last night when we found out about it, we notified the parents
in his class this year and the students in the kindergarten class,
so they were aware and could choose how to handle it,” Romanowski
said.

Romanowski said the day went “rather smoothly” otherwise, adding
the district received a few calls from parents who asked that their
children receive some services in dealing with the news, and some
other students that asked to talk to a professional about it.

“We were just waiting to see if anything was needed,” Romanowski
said. “They are young and don’t quite understand what has
happened.”

Ash, 26, apparently shot his son in the head, then shot himself
in the head at a camp on Route 59 near Marshburg, Kane-based state
police said after the incident.

The incident appears to have happened around dinner time on
Monday; the two were discovered Tuesday morning when family
discovered Nickolas was not in school.

Ash, who lived in Columbus, Ohio, would stay at the camp and
visit his son.

The Lafayette Township Volunteer Fire Department, Bradford City
Ambulance and the McKean County district attorney’s office assisted
at the scene.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Nickolas will be held in St.
Bernard Church on Saturday. No arrangements have been released
regarding Ash.