The juvenile suspect was charged a day after his arrest in the shooting death of 15-year-old Westfield High School student Royce Witchet.
HARRIS COUNTY, Texas — A 14-year-old has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 15-year-old Royce Witchet near Westfield High School, authorities said, marking a major development in an investigation that began after the suspect fled the area following the shooting.
The Harris County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the murder charge Thursday, one day after the 14-year-old was taken into custody. The suspect, whose name has not been publicly released because he is a juvenile, is believed to also be a Spring Independent School District student. Investigators have not publicly established what prompted the confrontation or said whether the two teenagers knew each other before the shooting.
The shooting happened shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22, along a sidewalk near Westfield High School and the Spring ISD administration building on Ella Boulevard. Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said investigators believe there was some type of incident involving Witchet and the other teenager before the shooting. Authorities have not released further details about that encounter.
Witchet was critically wounded and taken to a hospital, where he later died. Authorities identified the 15-year-old Wednesday as deputies continued investigating the shooting and searching for the person believed responsible. The suspect fled on foot after the shooting and was taken into custody the following day.
The case then moved into the juvenile justice system. Harris County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Thomas Gilliland told the Houston Chronicle that the teenager had been charged with murder as a juvenile. Gilliland said the Harris County District Attorney’s Office would determine whether to pursue proceedings that could result in the teenager being handled as an adult. No such decision had been publicly announced in the reports reviewed Thursday.
Authorities have withheld the suspect’s identity because of his age. The murder charge is an allegation, and the teenager has not been found guilty. Investigators also have not publicly described what evidence led them to identify the 14-year-old as a suspect or provided a detailed account of the circumstances that preceded the gunfire.
The shooting happened outside the high school rather than inside the campus. Authorities said relatively few students were on campus at the time. Westfield High School remained open afterward, while Spring ISD said an increased law enforcement presence would be provided as a precaution and additional support would be available for students, employees and families affected by Witchet’s death.
Spring ISD said Witchet was a Westfield High School student and expressed condolences to his family, friends, classmates, teachers and staff. The district described the shooting as an act of violence that happened off campus and said the school community was grieving the loss of one of its students.
Witchet’s family also began publicly remembering the teenager after his death. His mother announced plans for a balloon release Friday afternoon at Westfield High School in his honor, according to the Houston Chronicle. The family’s remembrance comes as investigators continue working to establish the circumstances that led to the deadly encounter.
Investigators have asked students and other potential witnesses who may have video, messages or additional information about the shooting to provide that material to authorities. Officials have not publicly announced a motive or said whether Witchet and the accused teenager had a previous relationship or dispute.
The investigation remains active as the 14-year-old faces a murder allegation in the juvenile justice system. Any decision concerning whether the case will proceed differently because of the seriousness of the charge would require additional legal action. Authorities had not publicly announced such a decision as of Thursday.
Author note: Last updated September 24, 2026.