Parents of Royce Witchet speak out in first on-camera interview following shooting near Westfield High School
Parents of Royce Witchet speak out, students walk out
Students at Westfield High School walk out to honor 15-year-old Royce Wichet, who was tragically shot near the school. Wichet's parents spoke on Tuesday afternoon about what happened . FOX 26's Mekenna Earnhart has more.
HOUSTON - Two weeks after 15-year-old Royce Witchet was fatally shot outside Westfield High School, and just days after his family laid him to rest on Saturday, students walked out of class Tuesday in a powerful display of grief, anger, and demand for change.
Two Houston-area teenagers were shot outside their respective schools in a single week
The backstory:
The walkout—part of a growing student movement aimed at holding local and state officials accountable—comes amid heightened fears after two Houston-area teenagers were shot outside their respective schools in a single week.
"My son wasn't a bad kid. He did not deserve to be shot in his back like that."
What they're saying:
Following the walkout, Witchet’s parents and extended family spoke directly to FOX 26 outside campus, where they accused school administrators and law enforcement of failing to protect students or render immediate aid.
"I got here a few minutes after the call and witnessed the scene of what was going on with my son," said Xavier Witchet, Royce’s father. "That was the last thing that a father should ever have to see — somebody not rendering aid... As an officer, as somebody that's supposed to protect these kids, [you were] nowhere in sight. And then when you was able to do something to try to help, you stood there. That's not right."
Royce's mother, Rhonda Churchwell, reflected on the emotional toll the tragic loss has taken on her family. "When I tell you that was the longest ride of my life... I couldn't touch my baby. I couldn't hold my baby. I couldn't tell him I was sorry, it would be okay. It stole something from me. It took five days for me to see my baby."
Family members also alleged that warning signs were ignored in the hours leading up to the violence.
"24 hours in advance, the school did not do anything," said Royce's cousin, Michael "Big Texas" Holiday. "It was reported to administrators. It was reported to law enforcement. They failed to do their job. So now, since they failed to do their job, we're going to force them to do that job."
Xavier said he wants his son Royce remembered as a vibrant young boy with a full life ahead of him.
"Royce was an athlete. He was a big brother. He was a son. He was a cousin," Xavier said. "He loved to dance, he loved TikTok, he was just a goofy kid... My son wasn't a bad kid. He did not deserve to be shot in his back like that."
Their fight is no longer just for Royce
What's next:
The family vowed to remain visible outside Spring ISD headquarters and Westfield High School until concrete actions are taken. They urged teenagers across the region to continue using their voices to demand safe learning environments.
"If you see something that's going to hurt somebody, say something. That ain't snitching," family members told gathered students. "Ask your admins: where are your eyes? Where are your ears? Where is the compassion? Where is our safety?"
The Witchet family emphasized that their fight is no longer just for Royce, but to ensure no other student in Texas becomes another statistic of school-adjacent gun violence.
The Source: Xavier Witchet, father of Royce Witchet, Rhonda Churchwell, mother of Royce Witchet, Michael "Big Texas" Holiday, cousin of Royce Witchet, former Fox 26 reporting