The 17-year-old Franklin High School student who fell from a fourth-floor railing on campus last week died by suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office. The coroner's report, released Tuesday, lists the manner of death for Xavier Nungaray-Martinez as suicide and notes he sustained multiple blunt traumatic injuries to the head and torso.
Officials have not disclosed the specific circumstances preceding the fall. However, widely circulated videos depict an altercation on campus Wednesday involving two students. These videos show one student striking another who had fallen to the ground. A teacher intervened, and the student who had been on the ground slowly rose. The assailant then shoved the other student, who was turning away, before delivering a final punch that knocked him down again. The attacker then exited the classroom while shouting a racial slur at the victim.
A subsequent video shows the student who was struck near a corridor railing outside the classroom. The apparent attacker then approaches, and the student near the railing is seen vaulting over it. Los Angeles police have not released details regarding their investigation or any potential arrests.
Nungaray-Martinez's death has prompted an outpouring of grief at the Highland Park school, with hundreds attending a memorial service the following day. Concerns have been raised regarding bullying on campus and perceived security deficiencies. An online petition, purportedly from a member of Xavier's extended family, states that the 17-year-old "lost his life at Franklin High School in Highland Park due to an avoidable incident of bullying."
The petition, which identifies the deceased as Xavier Amaya Nungaray, calls for the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to enhance campus security camera coverage, improve railing safety measures, and ensure the presence of police officers on all campuses. LAUSD's primary disciplinary approach focuses on restorative justice, which emphasizes student accountability and remediation of behavioral consequences. The district has increased support staff for this model while restricting campus police presence to emergencies and significantly reducing the school police force.
For individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts, resources are available. Professional help can be sought, or one can call 988, a nationwide three-digit mental health crisis hotline connecting callers with trained counselors. Alternatively, texting "HOME" to 741741 in the U.S. and Canada connects individuals with the Crisis Text Line.
