Everett Alvarez High School parents share concerns after stabbing of student near campus
SALINAS, Calif. (KION-TV) -- UPDATE ON MARCH 14, 2024 AT 4:30 P.M.- Everett Alvarez High School parents shared a sense of concern Friday morning as they dropped their kids off for classes.
Maribel Fernández said a stabbing near the school of an Alvarez High student has shaken the community.
"My son told me he was scared to come to school," said Fernandez.
Salinas Police said a 14-year-old student was walking with a group of friends, when three suspects, one adult, and two juveniles pulled over in a dark colored sedan.
"Two of the occupants jumped out and specifically chased the 14-year-old. At some point, they slashed the child in the shoulder with a weapon," said Acting Chief of Police John Murray, "The child was able to get away and ran towards Alvarez High School to seek safety."
Salinas Police said they don't believe the victim is affiliated with any gangs.
Investigators said the suspects were wearing blue bandanas and ran away from the scene. That’s when the school went on lockdown.
"Students began calling their parents," said Acting Chief of Police, Murray. "I know there was some confusion in the community about an active shooter situation, we quickly dispelled that with our social media."
According to police, some of the confusion was because a track meet was underway at the school. To start the meet, a pistol was fired in the air, signifying the start of a race. It was that sound that led some people to believe there was an active shooter situation at the campus.
The Superintendent of SUHSD said there was one Monterey County Probation officer on campus at the time of the stabbing.
He also said next week there will be more security on campus.
“We did add some external security on the campus for the next few days at least, until we determine if there is an on-going threat to anybody else on campus." said Superintendent, Dan Burns.
Student stabbed near Alvarez High School in an off-campus altercation, police say
More information has been released about the stabbing near Everett Alvarez High School.
On Thursday afternoon, a juvenile was walking with a group of friends near Nantucket and New Haven when a black Acura pulled up next to them. For reasons still not known, the driver and two other passengers got out of the car and started chasing the juvenile.
The driver, described as a Hispanic male adult wearing a blue hooded sweatshirt, held onto his waistband as if he was hiding a gun. The second suspect, described as a Hispanic male juvenile wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, caught up to the juvenile and stabbed him in the upper right side of his back. The third suspect was also a Hispanic male juvenile, tall and skinny, wearing a white polo shirt. All three suspects wore blue bandanas over the lower part of their faces.
The victim ran away and tried to flag down someone for help but wasn't able to find any. He eventually found help at Everett Alvarez High School when the school was locked down temporarily while police sorted out the details.
The juvenile was transported to Natividad Medical Center for treatment of his injury, which turned out to be non-life threatening.
The high school at the time was having a track meet where a starter pistol was being used for the event. Due to the lockdown, increased police presence, and the starter pistol going off, police received several calls from both students and parents about a possible active Shooter, a man with a gun, and shots being fired. Police found no evidence of a man with a gun on campus, or the possibility of an active shooter.
ORIGINAL: Salinas Police confirmed that a Everett Alvarez student was stabbed on Nantucket Boulevard which has led Alvarez High School to be on lockdown.
Officers said that there was a stabbing on Nantucket Boulevard around 3:45 p.m. . Investigators said that the victim ran towards Alvarez High School to get help which caused the school to go on lockdown.
Salinas Police said the student has non-life threatening injuries and is expected to be okay. The student was transported to a local hospital.
A Salinas Union School District official said that everyone on-campus is safe and the lockdown was lifted.
"District security followed safety protocols by securing the area and inspecting each classroom for any suspicious activity. An all clear was relayed to the District Safety and Emergency Preparedness Director."
Alvarez High School Principal Miguel Ocampo said in a statement.
District officials confirmed that classes will resume as normal on Friday.
Police said that there have been no arrests made at this time.
This story will be updated
