Court records identify 17-year-old Travoris Jarrell Hines as the suspect in the fatal shooting of senior athlete LePaul Warren.
HOUSTON, Texas — A 17-year-old has been charged with murder in the fatal shooting of Westbury High School senior LePaul Warren, who was killed near the southwest Houston campus Friday morning, according to court records.
Travoris Jarrell Hines, 17, is accused of shooting Warren, also 17, near Dryad Street and Chimney Rock Road shortly after 8:20 a.m. Friday. Hines also faces a misdemeanor charge of unlawfully carrying a handgun. Police have not announced a motive, and the charges are allegations that have not been proven in court.
Houston police said Hines was taken into custody Friday evening after an hourslong search. Investigators said he was found walking along Hillcroft Avenue with a handgun. Police recovered the weapon but have not established publicly whether it was the gun used in Warren’s killing. Authorities said Hines is not enrolled in a Houston Independent School District school.
Investigators used witness interviews, security-camera footage, phone data, a photo lineup and drone surveillance as they worked to identify and locate a suspect, according to court records and police accounts. Authorities have said Warren and Hines may have known each other or had contact through social media, but investigators have not released evidence establishing why the shooting occurred.
Court records provide additional details about Hines’ account to investigators. The records say Hines told investigators he was carrying a gun because he believed someone was trying to harm him and that he heard his name before opening fire. That account is part of the developing criminal case and does not represent a court finding about what happened.
The shooting occurred before classes near an off-campus area where students sometimes gathered in the morning. Police said someone came from a nearby wooded area and words were exchanged before the gunfire. A school staff member and campus police responded and attempted lifesaving measures while emergency crews were on the way. Warren died from his injuries.
Warren was a senior who competed in two varsity sports at Westbury. He played wide receiver on the football team and shooting guard on the basketball team. Family members, friends and classmates described him as well-liked, respectful and athletic. A memorial near the shooting scene grew over the weekend with flowers, balloons, candles, a football and a basketball.
The shooting prompted Westbury High School to enter secure mode while police searched the surrounding area. Houston ISD officials said the shooting happened off campus and that students and employees inside the school remained safe. Students were later released through a controlled process, and school activities tied to homecoming were canceled.
Students and staff returned to Westbury on Monday, with crisis counselors available as the school community mourned Warren. Police continued investigating the circumstances of the shooting, including the relationship between Warren and Hines and whether the handgun recovered during Hines’ arrest was connected to the killing.
Hines remained accused of murder and unlawfully carrying a handgun as the case moved into court. Authorities had not publicly identified a motive as of Monday, and the investigation remained active.
Author note: Last updated September 28, 2026.