A 14-year-old Santa Ana High School student died and two other students at that school were injured after a stabbing near campus shortly after the school day ended Wednesday, May 7. Police were searching for two suspects, who are also believed to be students.

Santa Ana Unified School District spokesperson Fermin Leal said the students were involved in an altercation shortly after 3 p.m., which led to a stabbing outside the high school in a parking lot shared with Martin R. Heninger Elementary School. Three teen boys were hospitalized, including the one who died, police said. The survivors were described by police as being stable.

The name of the boy who died was not immediately released.

The two suspects in the altercation — both males — are also believed to be students from Santa Ana High School, Santa Ana Police Officer Natalie Garcia said.

Related Articles

Police said the surviving victims are boys 15 and 16 years old.

“The Santa Ana Police Department and Santa Ana School Police are actively investigating the matter,” the school district said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, all after-school activities have been canceled for today. Please be assured that there is no immediate threat to the school or surrounding area. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”

Additional details on the victims and the circumstances leading up to the altercation were unavailable. Some reports said the stabbing appeared to be gang-related, but Santa Ana Police had not confirmed that as they investigated early Wednesday evening.

District officials said crisis counselors will be available on campus Thursday to support any students who may need assistance processing the event.

“We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available. Thank you for your understanding and continued support,” officials said.

Santa Ana High School is at 520 W. Walnut Avenue, in the area of 1st and Flower streets. One nearby resident, who did not want to be named for privacy reasons, was surprised by the violence.

“It’s been pretty quiet lately. We were kind of surprised to learn it happened when we came home from work,” said the 55-year-old resident who lives across the street from the parking lot where the stabbing occurred. She said people often vandalize a wall connected to the school parking lot.

Some teen mourners arrived at the campus Wednesday evening with flowers placed in tribute to the 14-year-old.

One parent, Monica Gonzales, 44,  said there has been a lack of transparency over multiple fights that occurred on campus over the last two weeks.

“It’s sad what’s happening, I’m worried for my kids,” said Gonzales. “How is there still not a threat? Any mother would be worried to take her child to school tomorrow.”

A request for comment was placed with the school district on those concerns.

Her 17-year old son knew the 14-year-old boy who died as a friend of a friend, Gonzales said. He told her he waved and said hello to him Wednesday  morning.

Former student Joshua Santos, 19, from Santa Ana, also said school administrators have not been transparent about problems at the campus. “They try to keep it as lowkey as possible,” he said.

“We’re just desensitized to it,” said Santos. “It was just another ‘oh well’ moment.”

Anyone with information about Wednesday’s altercation was urged to contact the Santa Ana Police Department at (714) 245-8665.