A 17-year-old Los Angeles high school student has been identified after apparently jumping from a fourth-floor balcony shortly after a classroom fight was captured on video.
Xavier Nungaray was involved in the altercation with another student at Benjamin Franklin High School in Highland Park at about 1 p.m. on September 30, according to reports.
Video of the incident shows a teacher urgently trying to separate the two students as the confrontation unfolded inside the classroom.
Nungaray was knocked to the floor and then ran from the room. As he stood up, the other student allegedly directed slurs at him, the New York Post reported, citing the footage.
Witnesses told FOX 11 NEWS that Nungaray appeared to have been injured during the fight before leaving the classroom and going over a fourth-floor railing.
Students said they heard a loud “thump” and were then directed back into their classrooms while staff responded to the incident.
“I hear stuff rumbling, falling, and I look up and I see kids fighting. I see a kid getting hurt pretty bad … [he] throws himself over the fourth floor,” one classmate told the outlet.
“You can see people crying, you can see people so emotional. It’s heartbreaking to see these people be like this,” she added.
Xavier Nungaray, a Los Angeles high school student, died after apparently falling from the fourth floor of the Benjamin Franklin High School campus following a classroom fight recorded on video.
Video shows two students fighting inside a classroom as a teacher attempts to intervene before the fatal incident.
Witnesses reportedly saw Nungaray leave the classroom after the fight and go over a fourth-floor railing, according to FOX 11 NEWS.
Nungaray’s stepmother and other relatives told CBS News that he had experienced bullying throughout high school and was reluctant to report it.
“He was scared that he was going to be punished instead of the bully,” his stepmother said.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death and reviewing the events that preceded the fall. Authorities said they have identified and interviewed all of the students involved.
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Investigators and medical examiners have reviewed the video as they examine whether head trauma may have caused disorientation before Nungaray fell. Police said they found no evidence of foul play, and no charges have been formally announced.
“We recognize that events such as this can affect students and staff in different ways. The well-being of our school community remains our top priority,” Principal Marine Davtyan said in a statement.
Additional security measures have since been introduced at the school.
Following Nungaray’s death, hundreds of students, relatives and friends left flowers and candles outside the campus. Mourners gathered to write messages, pray and remember him.
“I’m a parent. I love my kids. I know the parents love their child. Nobody expects to take their kid to school and not come back to pick them up and take them home. That’s heartbreaking,” Cynthia Solorzano, whose child attends the school, told Fox 11 News.
Hundreds of classmates, family and friends began placing flowers and candles in remembrance of Nungaray at a growing memorial by the school.
A crowd gathered around to write messages, pray, and mourn their loss the night of Nungaray’s death and the following day after
Los Angeles Police Department has opened a death investigation to determine the events leading up to the deadly fall. Officials have identified and interviewed all students involved
Lilia Nungaray, the student’s stepmother, has started a GoFundMe fundraiser to help pay for funeral arrangements.
‘Lilia shared that their son was a beautiful, caring, and loving boy who meant so much to the people around him. His passing has left a deep void in the hearts of those who knew and loved him,’ the fundraiser description said.
The family has raised over $110K of their $180K goal.
‘Additional mental health supports are available on campus, including dedicated grief counselors and other trained support staff to help students and employees process and respond to this loss. These resources will remain available in the days ahead,’ a Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson said in a statement to Our News Outlet.
Davtyan has encouraged families to continue checking in with their children and reach out for support when needed. She reassured that families could contact the school directly for help.
Our News Outlet has reached out to the Los Angeles Police Department for comment as the investigation is ongoing.
If you or someone you know needs help, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the US on 988. There is also an online chat available at 988lifeline.org.
