Man charged with murder in fatal stabbing of 15-year-old girl at California high school

A man has been charged with murder in connection with the stabbing at Stagg High School in Stockton, California, that killed a 15-year-old girl, who was apparently attacked at random, authorities said.

Anthony Gray, 52, was booked into the San Joaquin County Jail, police said.

CBS Sacramento reports the girl was identified as Alyicia Reynaga, a freshman who played on the softball team. A vigil was held for her Monday evening.

"It hurts," travel softball coach Vincent Enriquez told the station. "Everybody here, we loved this girl more than anyone in the world."

"Who would want to do this to this kid?" he added.

"I'll always have that empty space in my heart," said Lia Medrazo, the school's softball coach. "The girls are going to miss her and I hope her sister comes back and wants to play for her."

The girl was stabbed several times at about 11 a.m. at the school in Stockton in California's Central Valley and died at a hospital, Stockton Unified School District Superintendent John Ramirez Jr. said at a news conference. The alleged attacker drove to the school and went through a campus gate, police said. He attacked before security and staff could stop him, Ramirez said.

"It happened so quick that they weren't able to stop it, but they were there immediately, hence why the assailant was able to be detained and taken into custody so quickly," he said.  

The school was placed on lockdown after the stabbing. "We definitely will be re-evaluating" campus security, he said. 

Police initially said the teenager appeared to have been targeted. But Officer Joe Silva told the Sacramento Bee on Monday evening that detectives now believe it was a random act.

A motive for the killing remains under investigation, police said.

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• California
• Stabbing