CEDAR LAKE, Ind. (AP) – Northwestern Indiana police say a 13-year-old boy was struck and killed by a train as he walked home from school along railroad tracks.

The Lake County Coroner's office says Jeffery Bellinger of Cedar Lake died from blunt force trauma. He was pronounced dead Tuesday evening at the scene of the accident about 15 miles south of Gary.

Witnesses told police the train operator blew the train's horn to alert the teen but he didn't move out of the way. 

Police say Bellinger was wearing earphones and had a hooded sweatshirt pulled over his head when he was struck about 3:30 p.m. CDT along CSX tracks.

Cedar Lake Police Chief Jerry Smith says Bellinger was walking home from school and may have been using the tracks as a shortcut.