By Trevor Morgan and Perry Smith
A 15-year-old Valencia High School student was stabbed in an on-campus fight that led to the school being put on a brief soft lockdown Friday at approximately 10:30 a.m., according to law enforcement, fire and school district officials.
“Right now, all we know is that there’s a soft lockdown,” said Deputy Hatami of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, while the lockdown was still in place. “It’s an ongoing investigation.”
Initial information provided by the Los Angeles County Fire Department indicated the student was stabbed with a pencil, but this later turned out to be false. The weapon used in the stabbing was a knife, according to school district officials.
The SCV Sheriff’s Station released a statement saying one suspect had been arrested and transferred to a juvenile detention facility in Sylmar.
“Deputies arrived on scene and detained all involved parties. During the investigation, the school was placed on a soft lockdown,” read the statement. “A thorough investigation resulted in the arrest of a 15-year-old male for assault with a deadly weapon, who was later transported to Sylmar Juvenile Hall.”
One student was transported to a local hospital due to a “punctured side,” according to Craig Little, spokesman for the Fire Department.
Later in the day, the William S. Hart Union High School District released a statement in regards to the incident, which said the stabbing occured during an altercation. The statement also said the lockdown had been lifted.
“It is with sadness that we inform our community of a situation that occurred on the Valencia High School campus today where two students were involved in an altercation and injured. During the course of this altercation one student was stabbed,” read the statement. “Both students were transported to receive medical care and law enforcement is involved. There was a lockdown on the Valencia campus while first responders were on site. The lockdown has been lifted as there is no threat to the school. A team of counselors are on site to provide support to students and staff.”
Another statement from Valencia Principal Pete M. Getz said the stabbing occured outside the JROTC building and that “all students involved have been detained for investigation and potential disciplinary/legal consequences.”
In the altercation, one student stabbed another with a knife, and the injuries sustained by the stabbed student are non-life-threatening, according to Getz’s statement.
“As alarming as this news is, I want to assure you that there was never a threat to the campus at large. This regrettable incident is a localized argument between a specific smaller group of students,” read Getz’s statement. “Nevertheless, we put the campus on ‘soft lockdown’ while staff, law enforcement and first responders did their work to address the immediate concern and keep everyone else safe.”
Getz stated the school could not comment on the extent of disciplinary action taken against any of the students, adding, “A situation of this magnitude will ensure close coordination with law enforcement. The school site will assign thorough and appropriate disciplinary consequences once the investigation is complete.”
“We understand the anxiety caused by implementing these safeguards, and we have deployed counselors to the school site to assist as necessary in dealing with this traumatic event,” read Getz’s statement. “You should contact your school administration if you or your child needs to speak with someone who cares, understands and can help.”
Getz concluded his message by saying that students returned to class “after a peaceful lunch,” and the Valencia campus was safe.
