Alexandria student fatally stabbed in brawl outside shopping center

Alexandria City Superior School’s principal, Peter Balas, recognized the victim as Luis Mejia Hernandez, a college student at the school.

“I am saddened to share with you the news of the passing of one particular of our Titan seniors from the Course of 2022,” Balas said in a letter to the college neighborhood and shared by way of his social media. “[Luis] will be significantly missed by the Titan group particularly in the Global Academy.”

David Davis, who witnessed the brawl from outside the house a single of the outlets, reported dozens of significant school learners rapidly dispersed when police arrived at the scene. Davis was manning a stall for Regulation Enforcement Versus Medication and Violence, a nonprofit, and had place up a signal stating, “Stop faculty violence.”

He explained a team of five male pupils was chatting outdoors the Starbucks when a further young male came up to them. Just after a temporary trade, the younger gentleman explained to the group, “Okay, you be suitable there. My boy’ll repair that,” Davis explained.

He said that less than 5 minutes later on, he saw a team of young folks accumulating at a bus quit.

“That’s where it all, you know, begun having chaotic,” Davis claimed. “They left from the bus stop, and I guess the combat broke out from there, finished up in the center of the parking lot.” He reported he saw some youthful girls crying and young adult men who appeared to be damage.

“I went to convey to them, ‘Hey, gentleman, stay right here. Continue to be away from all that,’ ” Davis claimed. “My job was to try out to defend the kinds I could defend.”

Alexandria police are investigating and asked for that any individual with information and facts speak to the office at 703-746-4444. No arrests have been made. The 18-calendar year-old’s family was notified of his slaying, Bassett claimed.

Alexandria Town Higher School’s nearby campuses ended up placed in “secure the building” standing on Tuesday afternoon. Officers canceled after-university things to do, and college students were being escorted in smaller groups to the exits, according to a statement from school officers.

“All of a unexpected, the cops just came out from in all places. It was wild,” said Cindy Clemmer, of Alexandria, who reported she was driving into the procuring heart when she noticed “at the very least 20 kids” brawling.

Wednesday will be a digital finding out day for pupils, Balas said, to “allow our college community the time and place to grieve and system this decline.”

Law enforcement experienced been to the space for violent incidents formerly. In September, a juvenile endured a gunshot wound immediately after a combat broke out, law enforcement stated in a tweet. In October, a male was wounded and a juvenile was arrested after an additional battle, in accordance to the information internet site ALXnow.

Hannah Natanson and Nicole Asbury contributed to this report.