A horrifying mass stabbing at a California high school has left one student dead and two others seriously injured, according to local police.
The shocking incident took place on Wednesday at Santa Ana High School, near Heninger Elementary School. just as the bell rang.
Santa Ana Police Department officers were called to the scene shortly before 3.30pm local time following reports of the stabbing. All three victims were immediately rushed to a nearby hospital for urgent medical attention.
Tragically, despite the best efforts of medical teams, one of the teens died of their injuries. The other two are currently in stable condition.
While the exact circumstances leading up to the brutal assault remain unclear, the Santa Ana Unified School District suggested to ABC7 that gang involvement could be a factor.
Parents received a reassuring note from the district stating, “Please be assured that there is no immediate threat to the school or surrounding area,” and emphasizing that “The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”
As investigations continue, police have yet to release any identifying details about the suspects but confirmed they are searching for two other high school students in connection with the attack.
A spokesperson revealed: “Our officers are working closely with Santa school police to locate the suspects. We believe there are two that are outstanding,” adding that it’s currently uncertain if they are also students from Santa Ana. The assailants reportedly fled on foot, and no weapons have been found at the scene.
Meanwhile, authorities are operating under the suspicion that both the attacker and the victims may be students from the local high school, but have confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to the public, as per a Mirror US report.
Following the alarming incident of the stabbing, the school district took swift action, deciding to suspend all after-school activities for the rest of the day.
In addition, officials promised that, starting Thursday, grief counsellors will be ready to support both students and staff members affected by the tragedy.
Looking over the situation, CBS captured the immediate aftermath in their aerial footage which showed the crime scene concentrated around the high school’s main entrance, with a contingent of law enforcement officers on-site and police tape cordoning off the area.