4 Watsonville High School students arrested after stabbing, assault on campus

By Tim Fang

Four students from Watsonville High School were arrested after three people were injured in a stabbing and assault on campus Thursday morning.

Shortly after 10 a.m., Watsonville police along with Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s deputies and the county’s Anti-Crime Team were called to the school on East Beach Street on reports of a stabbing.

Police said a sergeant arrived at the scene less than two minutes later and found school staff holding down a 16-year-old suspect, who was quickly detained and taken into custody.

According to officers, a 14-year-old student and a school staff member were stabbed. Firefighters and school staff rendered aid to the victims as ambulances arrived.

Following the stabbing, a second incident took place. Police said another student fled from the stabbing scene, gathered two other students and attacked another 14-year-old.

All three victims were expected to be okay, according to officers.

The suspects were arrested and booked into Juvenile Hall. Their names are not being released due to their ages.

Watsonville High School along with nearby Linscott Elementary School were placed on lockdown. The lockdown at the elementary school was lifted before 10:30 a.m., while the lockdown at the high school was lifted shortly after noon.