Girl, 15, Killed in Stabbing Attack at California High School

Intruder walked into Stagg High School and killed girl
By Evann Gastaldo,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 19, 2022 12:00 AM CDT
Girl Killed in Stockton High School Stabbing Attack
Stock photo   (Getty Images / m-gucci)

A man drove onto the Stagg High School campus in Stockton, Calif., on Monday, parked, walked over to a 15-year-old girl, and stabbed her multiple times. A school district police officer quickly detained the suspect, but the teen did not survive the attack; she died later at a hospital, ABC 10 reports. While the school district initially said a "trespasser" had apparently targeted the girl and the attack was not random, the Stockton Police Department later issued a statement saying the stabbing "appears to be a random act." The discrepancy between the statements has not been made clear. The suspect is a male in his 40s, the Record reports.

"My heart is shattered by the violence that ended the life of a young student today," Stockton Mayor Kevin Lincoln said in a statement. "No child should ever have to experience or witness such senseless acts of violence." During a vigil outside the school, family members identified the victim as Alicia Reynaga, who played for the school's softball team, KCRA reports. "I come to you not only as superintendent, but also as a father," Superintendent John Ramirez Jr. said during a news conference. “I want to offer from all of our Stockton Unified staff prayers to the family; I can’t even imagine.” (More California stories.)

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