Updated Oct. 24 at 10:45am
Four teens are in custody after two fights at Watsonville High School Thursday morning left one 14-year-old student and a school employee injured.
Interim Police Chief David Rodriguez said police responded just after 10am to a report of a stabbing in the campus quad area.
“Less than two minutes later one of our sergeants arrived on scene to find school staff holding down a 16-year-old suspect,” he said. “The suspect was quickly detained and taken into custody.”
Moments later another fight broke out at another spot on the campus, Rodriguez said.
“Another student from the initial incident fled from the scene of the stabbing and gathered two other students and attacked another student,” he said. “In all, there are four suspects—all students from Watsonville High School—who were arrested.”
Rodriguez added that police recovered a knife at the scene.
The 16-year-old suspect was arrested on attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon charges, according to Watsonville City spokeswoman Michelle Pulido.
A 14-year-old student, along with two other 15-year-old suspects, were arrested on felony battery, assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy charges. WPD said.
At a press conference outside WPD, Pajaro Valley Unified School District Superintendent Heather Contreras joined Rodriguez at 1:30pm in discussing the incident for the media. She said classes were let out early after the lockdown ended, and that the incidents are still under review.
Watsonville Police were joined by Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and members of the Santa Cruz County Anti-Crime Task Force in securing the campus and surrounding streets.
According to Pajaro Valley Unified School District spokesman Alejandro Chavez, all those involved were taken by ambulance to the hospital for medical care, and the families have been notified.
Pulido said police are asking any students or staff members with photos or videos connected to the stabbing and the assault to upload them at bit.ly/48Gppc9
“Parents, we encourage you to talk with your kids and ask if they witnessed or recorded anything that could help us with this investigation,” Pulido said.
All submissions will remain confidential, and any information shared will only be used for investigative purposes. Once uploaded, files cannot be deleted.
Things will get worse. Parents are either absent or these behaviors are learned from the parents themselves. Consider other alternatives to WHS or the public school system here in CA.
California recently adopted a critical expulsion reform law. AB 1230, signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom, will help expelled students return to school.
AB 1230: EXPULSION REHABILITATION PLAN REFORM
BACKGROUND According to the California Department of Education 4,089 public school students were expelled in 202324. These students are some of our most underserved and at highest risk for poor academic outcomes. Black and American Indian/Alaska Native students were expelled at a 4x higher rate than White students, and Hispanic students were expelled at 2x the rate of White students. Students with disabilities were 1.5x more likely to face expulsion, while Foster Youth faced a 4.7x higher likelihood, and unhoused students were 2.7x more likely to be expelled. (chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://youthlaw.org/sites/default/files/attachments/2025-03/2025.3.03%20AB%201230%20%28Bonta%29%20Fact%20Sheet.pdf)
Continue to have Liberals running CA, and you will continue getting the same results.
leave it to the above person to blame public schools for violence. Wake up , Srgio! we have ICE using violence and zip ties to arrest children and old people. we see a lawless scum bag as POTUS who rips down 120 years of DC history because he wants a ballroom named in his honor. we see our navy and coast guard attacking fishing vehicles in international waters cause donnie dumbass is convinced that because they speak Spanish they MUST BE SELLING DRUGS ! and yes, let us blame their parents, who are at work , sometimes with 2 or 3 jobs. IT MUST BE THEM. and the current administration has now canceled special education, ensuring those who need it wont get it. they will be ushered out the door, as donnie sees them as being inferior to himself and all the trumpdumps.
PAJARONIAN READERS, get a clue! the violence is endemic and is coming from the trump vance duo of dismal fascism.
How would keeping kids out school be helpful? What, put them on the streets or jail because you don’t give a damn about them because they aren’t white? Another commenter said ICE should be at schools and that would take care of the problem. Who cares if they’re American as long as they’re brown, right? They should be put back in school where they have a chance.
Who said “because they’re brown”?
Another stupid, racist take
You are clowns, but thank you for the good laugh. You live your lives as victims and try to convince others that they are victims as well. MAGA!