Man Accused In Fatal School Stabbing Had Prior Arrest
SOUTH GATE (CBS) — CBS2 has learned an 18-year-old man accused of fatally stabbing his ex-girlfriend had been arrested days before the deadly attack for allegedly making criminal threats.
Our police sources confirm that 18-year-old Abraham Lopez was arrested on Sept. 25, but was bailed out
two days later.
Investigators wouldn't say if Lopez's initial arrest was at all related to Cindi Santana.
Santana was fatally stabbed Friday during a lunchtime fight in a courtyard at South East High School in South Gate, according to police.
Friends and classmates of the 17-year-old senior gathered at the school Saturday evening, where a memorial was growing.
"I was telling her just 'close your eyes and pray with me,'" classmate Danielle Mendoza recalled. "She was just like, 'I'm not ready to go,' and she was crying. She was saying that 'it hurts so much' and he was basically screaming out, 'I loved you.'"
Andrew Olivo, a friend of the victim's, told CBS2's Rita Garcia he was Santana's date to a 15th birthday party. It was there she admitted to him that Lopez was possessive, Olivo said.
"She would tell me how he was always very protective of her. He wouldn't let her like see other guys or hang out with friends," he said.
"If I knew that this was going to happen, just get her away from here as much as possible," Mendoza added.
City News Service reports that grief counselors will be available to students and staffers at the school starting Sunday.
Lopez, who has been booked on suspicion of murder, is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday.
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