LAPD Finds No Link Between Bullying Claims and Student's Fatal Fall
Investigators are still reviewing the case of Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, who died Sept. 30 after a classroom confrontation.
The Los Angeles Police Department has not yet established a connection between allegations of bullying and the death of 17-year-old Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, who died on September 30 after falling from a fourth-floor railing at Benjamin Franklin High School. The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide, citing multiple blunt traumatic injuries.
Detectives from the LAPD's Robbery-Homicide Division are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Nungaray-Martinez's death. In a statement, the department cautioned that their preliminary assessment does not constitute a final determination. "At this preliminary stage of the investigation, detectives have not identified evidence establishing a connection between allegations of bullying and the student’s death," the LAPD said.
Video footage from inside the school shows Nungaray-Martinez being confronted by another student during a classroom session. An elderly teacher attempted to intervene as the other student repeatedly punched Nungaray-Martinez, knocking him to the floor. The footage also captures the classmate taunting Nungaray-Martinez.
Following the altercation, Nungaray-Martinez ran from the classroom into an outdoor hallway, with the other student in pursuit. Moments later, Nungaray-Martinez went over the fourth-floor railing. The incident led to a lockdown of the school.
The student's stepmother told CBS Los Angeles that Nungaray-Martinez had been subjected to regular bullying but feared reporting it, believing he might be punished instead of the aggressors. However, investigators stated they have not yet found evidence to support this connection.
A memorial of candles, flowers, and other items was established at the school following the incident. Benjamin Franklin High School reopened the following day, with additional mental health professionals made available to students. A Los Angeles School Police Department spokesperson encouraged families to engage with their children and remind them that seeking support is acceptable.