The teenager who allegedly punched fellow high school student Xavier Nungarary before Nungarary threw himself over a campus balcony to his death could face arrest, as detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department conduct interviews and comb the case for clues.
Nungarary, 17, tragically jumped to his death from a fourth-floor platform at Benjamin Franklin High School in the Highland Park neighborhood of LA Wednesday, sparking an intense police investigation of the incident, an LAPD source said.
Detectives with the LAPD’s Northeast Division are now interviewing many witnesses who were present at the horrifying moment that Nungarary jumped from the Franklin balcony, the source said, including students and administrators.
Police are also speaking to parents about what could have led to the alleged conflict that reportedly occurred before Nungarary’s death. They’re also seeking video of the incident and reviewing footage they’ve already found.
“Detectives are conducting a thorough investigation,” said the LAPD source who discussed the case with The California Post on the condition of anonymity.
The investigation could lead to arrests, the source added.
Bystanders captured video showing Nungaray withstanding punches from a suspected bully before darting out of a classroom and jumping over a fourth-floor railing onto the concrete below.
Nungaray’s family released heartbreaking pictures of the teen as they worked to raise funds to ease some of their financial burden and to cover his funeral expenses.
“Losing a child is an unimaginable pain, and this family is now facing the emotional weight of grief while also trying to make arrangements to honor his life,” the family wrote. “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.”
Nungarary was a senior at the Highland Park high school at the time of his death. Officials found him on the scene and rushed him to the hospital, but he could not be revived.
Family members and loved ones held a tribute for Nungarary on Thursday. His stepmom told CBS LA that Nungarary was bullied by other kids throughout high school but he was “hesitant to speak up.”
“He was scared that he was gonna end up getting punished instead of the bullies,” she said.
LAPD officials have so far said there is no evidence that his death was caused by foul play, but student who punched Nungarary before his death could face charges and arrest, the Post’s police source said.
Such a determination may come after the Los Angeles Medical Examiner declares the curly-haired teen’s cause and manner of death.
Students returned to Franklin on Thursday as the school offered mental health support and other resources to those who needed it. Several students appeared to witness Nungarary jumping off the fourth floor, and some viewed his body below.
A parent whose daughter knew Nungarary said he was a “really nice kid.” Their daughter chose to stay home Thursday.
“You think that being at school, they’re safe,” Eleo Rolon told NBC LA. “She told me he was a really nice kid. Very quiet.”
Some families have criticized the school for not giving the community enough time to grieve, opening its doors the day after his death.
“The district needs to be held accountable,” one parent told KTLA. “The school should have been closed today.”
“They should have respected that one person — human, child, someone’s child,” another said.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Unified School District didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
