Based on reports, neighborhoods around Houston came together on Saturday to grieve two teenagers killed in separate shootings and to draw attention to the issue of youth gun violence.
Memorial Held at Fallbrook Church for Royce Witchet
Fallbrook Church hosted a memorial service for 15-year-old Royce Witchet, a Westfield High School student who lost his life to gunfire outside the campus on Sept. 23. Loved ones, peers, and local residents packed the sanctuary to honor Witchet’s life. A 14-year-old was arrested and charged in connection with Witchet’s death, according to authorities.
Following recent youth fatalities across the Houston area, this memorial was just one of several gatherings held over the past few weeks. Residents also assembled Saturday on the city’s south side close to Westbury High School to pay tribute to 17-year-old LePaul Warren Jr.
Community Walk Honors LePaul Warren Jr. Near Westbury High School
Warren, a senior, was shot outside Westbury High School on Sept. 25, according to officials. Authorities reported that 17-year-old Travoris Hines faces a murder charge related to Warren’s death. To honor Warren, coordinators arranged a walk where attendees simultaneously brought attention to youth gun violence and raised money to aid Warren’s relatives.
Joshua Grant, one of the organizers, said Warren was like a little brother to him. Another coordinator, Jaymari Robinson, explained that the collective backing from the community aims to assist Warren’s mother and sister while keeping his memory alive.
“I feel like us coming together to support his mom and sister and making sure everything goes smoothly this weekend and next week will help us remember him, and not only him … the people who passed that weekend too,” Robinson said.
As the procession moved forward, event coordinators expressed their desire for young people to steer clear of gun violence and achieve their full potential.
“You can’t press pause on life. You can’t press timeout. If you could, there would be a lot of pauses and a lot of timeouts,” Robinson said.
