3 Arrested In Fatal Stabbing Of Handball Player At High School In Reseda
RESEDA (CBSLA.com) — Police arrested three suspects early Thursday in the fatal stabbing of a handball player and former student at Grover Cleveland High School.
Witnesses and information gathered from social media led authorities to arrest Michelle Pineda, 19, Michael Steven Carpio, 19, and his 16-year-old brother just after midnight for the murder of Kevin Orellano, Los Angeles police said.
Orellano, 18, was playing handball with a friend on the courts at Grover Cleveland High School, 8140 Vanalden Avenue, around 3:55 p.m. Wednesday when he was approached by the suspects.
"A brief argument took place and one of the suspects punched Orellano in face," police said in a statement. The suspects continued to fight with the Orellano when the 16-year-old boy, armed with a small pocket knife, stabbed the victim in the torso.
Orellano was transported to a local hospital, but died before reaching the emergency room, officials said.
Witnesses reported seeing Carpio, of Panorama City, and the 16-year-old suspect flee the scene in a maroon mini van driven by Pineda, authorities said.
"A lot of young people stepped forward immediately after the incident and was able to provide investigators with information that led to the identification of the involved individuals and suspects," Dennis Ballas of the LAPD said.
It was unclear what led to the initial confrontation between the suspects and the victim, but police are calling the stabbing an isolated incident.
All three suspects were arrested at a home in the 15000 block of Roscoe Boulevard and have been booked for murder.
"The getaway vehicle was also found at the location where the suspects were arrested," police said.
A bail amount was not released.
