18-year-old in Texas fatally stabbed at school; classmate jailed
BELTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) — Authorities say a fight at a high school in Texas ended with an 18-year-old student stabbed to death and another student taken into custody.
Police say Jose Luis Ramirez Jr. died after he was stabbed Tuesday morning in a campus bathroom at Belton High School, about 140 miles southwest of Dallas.
Belton Police Chief Gary Ellis said an 18-year-old high school senior, whose name was not released, was jailed in connection with the attack and was awaiting formal charges. Authorities said that student-suspect ran out of the school after the stabbing and was taken into custody about 20 minutes later.
Itty Henry, a Belton High School senior, said Ramirez had the ability to always make people smile.
"He always had the right jokes and everybody loved him," Henry said. "I don't think I can name a person that didn't like him because he always put other people before himself."
On Tuesday night, hundreds of people gathered for a prayer service and balloon release for the Ramirez family, the Temple Daily Telegram reported. Classes at the school, which has about 2,500 students, were canceled for Wednesday.