Teen injured in stabbing near Edison High School
FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Police are investigating a stabbing at a high school in Southwest Fresno. A 17-year-old boy was stabbed three times just outside the gates of Edison High. Investigators said the victim was not a student and said the victim has been hospitalized and said to be extremely critical.
No arrests have been made in the case. Officers said the victim was stabbed right in front of campus and then jumped the fence before collapsing
Fresno police officers patrolling Southwest Fresno Tuesday morning heard the gunfire before anyone even called 911. The department's Shot Spotter system alerted officers of the shooting in front of Edison High. They then got a call of a stabbing victim on school grounds.
"When we arrived, the stabbing victim's brother was on the street. He was pointing over here, right here by the Edison High sign where the victim was on the grass. (The victim) a 17-year-old Hispanic male stabbed in the upper body," said Joe Gomez, Fresno Police Department.
Officers are still trying to piece together details about what led to the shooting and stabbing. Initially, the victim's brother was not up-front with officers, but was later interviewed at police headquarters by detectives. The brother of the victimwas wanted on an unrelated warrant.
The violence prompted Edison High staff to send out an automated message to parents letting them know that classes would continue despite the police investigation. Eva Ruiz took her son and daughter to school as usual with little concern.
"I felt it was safe. We received a call and many tweets from our principal, Mrs. Sanders. This was not a school-related event. If it was, then it may be a different story, but it wasn't so I'm confident that my kids will be safe. Fresno PD is around here, I have a high confidence for Fresno PD and the staff at Edison."
Many other parents also agreed that getting to class was important, and the safety of students was not in jeopardy.
"If it were actually on campus, or had something to do with Edison, I feel like they would have closed the school down. So I'm pretty confident that everything is going to be safe and my daughter is going to be okay," said Nailah Omawahleh, Edison High parent.
The stabbing victim has not been identified. Officers said one thing is clear, there was a short confrontation before a gun and knife were brought out.
"There was some type of a fight out here. Some type of a fight, (or) disturbance. A van was involved..." said Gomez. "Shots were fired but we do not have a shooting victim, we do not have a gun right now."
California Avenue was closed to traffic for five hours while police investigated. A Foster Farms truck was also struck by gunfire, but the driver was not hurt.
