Lamar High School students react to classmate's death
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A little more than 24 hours after the tragic death of 15-year-old Makaila Simon, students at Lamar High School returned to class stunned they lost another classmate over the weekend to gun violence.
"She was friends with a lot of people, so I think everybody is going to be down and scared," said one student who did not wish to be named.
Simon was identified by a loved one as the victim of what investigators believe was an accidental shooting on Sunday morning. She was a freshman at Lamar High School and had recently celebrated a birthday.
According to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, the teen and her 17-year-old boyfriend, Javon Martin, were inside a bedroom in a Spring home around 1:30 a.m. Sunday. Investigators say Martin was playing with a gun when a shot was fired. The bullet struck Simon in the chest and she died at the scene.
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Several people were inside the home at the time of the incident. Martin has been charged with criminal negligent homicide.
"She was very sweet and young and everything and (my friends) don't feel like she deserved that," a student said. "Nobody deserves that."
This latest incident is the second death of a Lamar student this school year.
In November, 18-year-old Delindsey Mack was shot and killed near the campus in what police say was targeted gang violence.
The school district has put out this statement regarding Simon's passing:
"The Houston Independent School District is deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death of one of our students. Cases like this are always extremely difficult to bear and we will have grief counselors on campus (Monday) to assist students and staff. We offer our deepest condolences to the family and to all who loved and cared for our student."
