Two male students — ages 15 and 17 — turned themselves in to police overnight after a fatal stabbing Wednesday afternoon just outside Santa Ana High School in Southern California, authorities told KTLA-TV.
Santa Ana police noted to the station that the two teens — both of whom attend the high school — were with their parents when they turned themselves in, and they remained in custody Thursday morning.
KTLA said authorities couldn’t yet confirm if arrests were made.
Authorities told the station in an earlier story that the triple stabbing took place just outside Santa Ana High School’s entrance and that Santa Ana police responded to the incident around 3:25 p.m. Two male suspects reportedly fled from the scene, after which police began searching for them.
One of the stabbing victims — a 14-year-old male student who hasn’t yet been identified — was taken to a hospital where he later died, KTLA said. He was a freshman at Santa Ana High, and friends and classmates told the station he was “kind and funny.”
Dianna Vasquez told KTLA her daughter was friends with the student who was killed: “When she got home with her friends, and they found out, she was in tears. She was crying. She couldn’t believe it. She said he was a really nice kid.”
Two other victims — ages 15 and 17 — were stabbed in their upper torsos but were in stable condition and expected to make full recoveries, KTLA said. They both are students at Santa Ana High as well, the station said.
Police said the suspects are affiliated with gangs, as was the deceased victim and the two surviving victims, KTLA reported.
The Santa Ana Unified School District said it would increase police presence Thursday at and around Santa Ana High, according to a statement posted to social media Wednesday night, the station said.
“We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff,” the statement reads in part, according to KTLA. “We will continue to share updates as they become available. Thank you for your continued support and compassion.”
Anyone with information about the attack is urged to call the Santa Ana Police Department at 714-245-8049.
You can view a video report here about the latest developments in connection with the fatal stabbing.
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Santa ana, California, Santa ana high school, Stabbing, Fatal stabbing, Teen killed, Gang related, Police, Crime
