By Beth Alston

AMERICUS — The body of an 18-year-old Americus Sumter High School student, missing since Wednesday, was found Thursday morning in his car. Authorities said Peter Nordwall did not return home from school Wednesday and after his mother discovered his new rifle was missing, she reported him missing. Authorities searched for the missing teen all night. ­­Nordwall’s car and body were found between 10:15 and 10:30 a.m. about a half-mile from his home on Old Hooks Road, a dirt road off Hooks Mill Road in rural southeast Sumter County.

Sumter County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy, Col. Eric Bryant said the young man was dead from an apparently self-inflicted gunshot wound but there will be autopsy. The death scene was processed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Region 3 Americus Office.

Bryant said that Nordwall was supposed to graduate later this month, was an honor graduate and ranked third in his class.

Extra deputies were placed at the high school this morning and the security level was raised to Code Yellow, according to Bryant. He added that grief counselors were at the school today to provide support to Nordwall’s classmates in the wake of the tragedy.