Representative Christian Menefee (D) is calling for urgent action on gun violence after two Houston-area high school students were killed in separate shootings within the same week.
What Happened?
Two Houston-area high school students were killed in recent separate shootings, prompting Rep. Menefee to call for stronger efforts to address gun violence.
The victims were 17-year-old LePaul Warren, a senior at Westbury High School, and 15-year-old Royce Witchet, a student at Westfield High School. Warren was shot fatally near his school in southwest Houston, while Witchet was killed near the Westfield campus.
Menefee said both students were Black teenagers with promising futures who should have had decades ahead of them.
Rep. Christian Menefee: "My heart breaks for the two families in Houston who are forced to bury their sons instead of watching them walk to the graduation stage. Both were Black young students who should have had decades left to live. But in an instant, gun violence took their lives."
He said students should be able to attend school and spend time with friends without fear of violence.
What is Menefee calling for?
Menefee said leaders at the federal, state, and local levels must treat gun violence as an urgent issue and pursue measures intended to keep guns away from people who seek to harm others.
Rep. Christian Menefee: "We cannot accept this as normal. We must keep fighting for solutions that keep guns away from those who seek to do harm and keep our students safe."
He also addressed Houston-area students directly, saying, "Your life matters, your future matters, and we will keep working to protect you."
