A student has died and two others have been hospitalized after a stabbing outside a school in California, the Santa Ana Unified School District confirmed in a statement shared via Insatgram.
The statement, posted on Wednesday, May 7, said that the school was “heartbroken to confirm that one of the students injured in an incident outside Santa Ana High School this afternoon has tragically passed away.” It added that, “Two additional students were also injured and remain hospitalized.”
According to NBC News, authorities confirmed the stabbing happened on Wednesday, May 7, in front of the school, with The Los Angeles Times noting that the three victims are aged between 14 and 17.
The school’s statement stated that the “incident involved an altercation among several individuals, occurring shortly after dismissal,” while the Los Angeles Times reports that officers responded to the scene at around 3:25 p.m. local time.
Local outlet KLTA 5 said that “two suspects, also believed to be students, ran from the scene and were being searched for,” with the Los Angeles Times saying that it was “currently unclear what their motive was.”
The school’s statement continued, “Our thoughts are with the family of the student who passed, and with all those impacted by this senseless act of violence.”
“We understand the emotional toll it may have on our students, staff, and families across the district,” they added, noting that the stabbing was being “actively investigated” by the Santa Ana Police Department and Santa Ana School Police.
The school went on to say that there will be “an increased presence of Santa Ana School Police on and around Santa Ana HS on Thursday,” and noted that crisis counselors would be made available for students.
“We are committed to providing a safe, caring, and supportive environment for all students and staff. We will continue to share updates as they become available,” the statement concluded. “Thank you for your continued support and compassion.”
