Father of Franklin High student who fell to his death demands accountability and return of campus police William Amaya, father of 17-year-old Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, who died after falling from a fourth-floor railing at Franklin High School on Sept. 30, is calling for his son's alleged bully to be held accountable and for police to return to Los Angeles school campuses. The family and supporters dispute the medical examiner's ruling of suicide and have launched a petition with over 680 signatures. The father of a 17-year-old Franklin High School student who fell to his death from a fourth-floor railing is demanding that his son's alleged bully be held accountable and that police officers return to Los Angeles school campuses. Father Demands Police Return to SchoolsWilliam Amaya, 40, spoke publicly for the first time since the Sept. 30 death of his son, Xavier Nungaray-Martinez, during a protest Tuesday outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters west of downtown. Bullying was a factor, Amaya said. He said he does not think anyone in their right mind would jump off the fourth floor. He added that the fall would have been prevented if enforcement was on campus.The family also challenged the preliminary conclusion by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner that Xavier's death should be classified as a suicide. The medical examiner said Xavier died from multiple blunt traumatic injuries to the head and torso, and ruled his death a suicide. He was not suicidal, William Amaya said. So just to put that out there, because they are saying that he was, but he was not.The family is awaiting the results of the coroner's toxicology tests but said Tuesday they do not believe Xavier used drugs and had never heard him talk about drugs on campus. Amaya said his son was looking forward to starting work and had plans. Xavier, a senior, was recalled by his father as a kind, shy teenager who enjoyed gaming and was looking forward to graduation.About half a dozen parents, including two other family members, demonstrated outside Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Education. Stephanie Amaya, 37, who is William Amaya's cousin, said they are trying to get their voices heard. She said Xavier has started a movement for all of us, and we are here to just ask for protection for our kids. Bring back the school police.LAPD Investigation Finds No Bullying LinkThat is our main priority, and we want justice. She vowed to continue the protests as long as necessary. The LAPD, which is investigating the teen's death, said last week that bullying may not have been a factor. At this preliminary stage of the investigation, detectives have not identified evidence establishing a connection between allegations of bullying and the student's death, the department said.The LAPD also said last week they are investigating allegations that bullying may have contributed to the student's death. Police have not released information about the person seen on video striking Xavier. Disturbing video of Xavier's final moments showed the teen being verbally taunted and repeatedly punched by a classmate inside a classroom. Video taken moments before his fall shows Xavier on the ground of a classroom being struck at least six times by a classmate.No video has emerged that shows what happened before the fight. Video also shows a teacher standing between the students as Xavier gets slowly to his feet. The other student strikes one more blow from behind, knocking Xavier to the ground. He stumbles up and runs from the classroom.Another video, taken seconds later, shows Xavier at the railing. A male student who appears to be the other person involved in the conflict is rapidly approaching Xavier when Xavier vaults over the railing. The teenager threw himself over the fourth-floor railing, with the other student following. An elderly teacher desperately tried to intervene during the classroom assault.Xavier's aunt, Elizabeth Amaya, said Tuesday that she challenged the finding of suicide because if not for the fight, she said, Xavier would not have fled the classroom. Elizabeth Amaya also has a daughter at the school, a senior, and said her daughter also feels that bullying is a problem and that the school is struggling to recover from the tragedy.Family Calls for Police and CounselingFamily members stressed that police officers should not come at the expense of counseling, which also needs to be increased or improved. William Amaya, who also graduated from Franklin High School, said conditions had deteriorated since his time there in the early 2000s. Things are worse at Franklin now, he said. He recalled that at least two police officers were on duty at the school when he attended, breaking up fights, handcuffing students and enforcing discipline.He said that level of police presence needs to return. Right now it is not just bring back the police, it is bring back the police and have them be on campus every time our kids are on campus right now, Stephanie Amaya said. We need every single school and every single kid to have a chance and feel protected. We need accountability, we need extra police, we need protection for our kids in school.Last week a group of district parents called for officers to be returned to campuses, reigniting a long-simmering debate about police patrols at Los Angeles Unified schools. Other Franklin parents have focused on counseling efforts and have not supported a police presence. In 2020, under pressure from community and student activists who called for defunding police, the school board voted 4-3 to remove officers from campus and slash funding for the school police by 35%.A much smaller police force continues to conduct patrols and respond to emergencies. The LAUSD school board voted unanimously on Feb. 16, 2021, to remove school police officers from campuses and replace them with school climate coaches. Former school board member David Tokofsky said that Franklin used to have two assigned officers out of concern for keeping the campus safe from the influence of a notorious local gang.Petition Demands School Security MeasuresA petition alleges that Xavier was assaulted during class without timely intervention from security and that students recorded the assault and his fatal plunge. It calls on the district to install security cameras, place trained police officers on every campus, improve security staff training, provide more walkie-talkies to campus staff and install safer railings on every floor. The petition has garnered more than 680 signatures, and the family hopes to collect more before presenting it to the school board.An LAUSD spokesperson told The Post that their hearts are with family, friends, and the Franklin High School community as they grieve this loss. However, we are unable to comment about individual circumstances due to confidentiality and privacy laws. Amaya declined to say whether the family had sought legal representation or planned any action against the district, saying they would issue a statement later. His first priority, he said, was laying his son to rest.A GoFundMe campaign has been launched. Community members are expected to gather Thursday evening to mourn Xavier.