Police: Fatal stabbing at graduation results from fight between students

HERRIMAN, Utah, May 30, 2024 (Gephardt Daily) — Police say a fatal stabbing at a high school graduation Wednesday stemmed from four high school students crashing the ceremony to confront two other students .

Herriman and South Jordan police responded to Zions Bank Stadium around 12:30 a.m. Wednesday following multiple 911 calls regarding a fight and stabbing at Valley High's graduation ceremony School.

A 16-year-old Valley High student was stabbed in the chest and died from his injuries despite rescue efforts by Unified and South Jordan firefighters. The boy's name has not been released.

Witnesses told police a fight took place between at least eight people on Solo Street near Zions Bank Stadium at 14787 Academy Parkway.

Police said three Mountain Ridge High School students, a 19-year-old and two 18-year-olds, along with the 16-year-old who later died, went to Valley High's graduation ceremony with the intends to take on two Valley High students. a 17 year old boy and an 18 year old woman.

This was the fourth fight between those involved in the past year, according to a news release issued Thursday by the Herriman City Police Department.

The 16-year-old Valley High student suffered at least one stab wound to the chest and fled into his vehicle, a gray Dodge Challenger, police said.

Following the fight, several people left the scene “at high speed” in a white Audi, according to the press release.

Police followed the Audi to 13643 S. Daggerwing Way, Riverton and South Valley SWAT responded due to “the nature of [the] “The incident and the history of those believed to have been involved, including weapons history,” the statement said.

Several people were arrested, police said, including a 48-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy who attend Mountain Ridge High School, both of whom “were determined to be directly involved in the incident.”

The woman's 17-year-old son, also a student at Valley High, was stabbed in the face and taken to the hospital by family members, along with an 18-year-old woman who attends Valley High and was injured. in his hand, police said. Both were later arrested by police at the hospital.

A 19-year-old man who attends Mountain Ridge High was arrested at the stadium, while an 18-year-old Mountain Ridge student fled the scene but later turned himself in to police for questioning. Another Mountain Ridge student, 18, fled the scene after the altercation and had not been found as of Thursday afternoon, police said.

“However, we do not believe there is a threat to the general public,” the statement said.

The 19-year-old Mountain Ridge student was booked into the Salt Lake County Jail for investigation of aggravated assault resulting in serious bodily injury, a second-degree felony.

Gephardt Daily will update this story as more information becomes available.