HOUSTON, Texas – Students and staff at Westbury High School are returning to campus Monday for the first time since a senior was shot and killed just outside the school.
LePaul Warren, 17, was killed Friday morning near Dryad Drive and Chimney Rock Road.
Warren was a senior at Westbury and a varsity football and basketball player.
The Houston ISD said crisis counselors are available on campus to support students and staff as the school community grieves. The district said additional support will continue to be provided as needed.
Police have charged 17-year-old Travoris Jarrell Hines with murder and unlawfully carrying a handgun in connection with Warren’s death.
Investigators believe Warren and Hines may have known each other, but police have not released a motive.
According to court records, Hines told investigators he had a gun because he believed someone was trying to harm him and that he heard his name before opening fire.
Warren’s friends are remembering him as someone who could make people laugh and had a promising future.
“He always made me laugh. This man was really my brother. Nobody was ever like him. He had a great personality and he’s just a star,” Warren’s friend Benjamin Rodriguez said.
Several recent shootings involving Houston-area teens
Warren’s death is one of several recent deadly shootings involving teenagers across the Houston area.
Just days earlier, 15-year-old Royce Witchet was killed near Westfield High School. A 14-year-old has been charged with murder in that case.
In a separate shooting, 17-year-old Tavian Soileau was found shot to death inside a car. Another 14-year-old has been charged with murder.
State data also points to a broader concern involving juvenile violence. According to the Texas Juvenile Justice Department, homicide referrals involving juveniles increased 65% and firearm-offense referrals increased 45% from 2000-2025.
Hines was expected to make his first court appearance Monday morning.
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