MIAMI (WSVN) - Miami-Dade Schools police have arrested the adult brother of one of the victims hurt in the triple stabbing at Felix Varela High School.
Matthew Moya was arrested on Tuesday and charged with contributing to the delinquency of minors.
A total of five people will face charges following an altercation in the Felix Varela High School parking lot that led to one student stabbing three others.
Moya was arrested after he allegedly drove the three juveniles to the school to confront the Felix Varela student.
Miami-Dade Police, Miami-Dade Schools Police and Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units responded to the campus in the area of Southwest 96th Street and 152nd Avenue, at around 2:30 p.m., Monday.
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue units also responded to the scene and transported the three victims to Kendall Regional Medical Center as trauma alerts. They have since been listed in stable condition.
The four juveniles involved in the altercation are set to be charged with burglary and battery charges.
The victims are not enrolled at Felix Varela but two are students in Miami-Dade County.
They have since been released from the hospital and taken into custody.
The student who allegedly stabbed the other three people is scheduled to appear before a judge on June 10 facing the charge of possessing a weapon on school grounds.
A fellow student at the school said the accused may have been defending himself.
“I heard some people were trying to jump some other people, and then the guy took the knife and stabbed them,” said student Elijah Mercado.
“I was in AP testing, and I saw cops come in to sweep the room, but I didn’t find out about it until I left testing,” said student Kellen Acharandio. “It’s kind of strange because you don’t really think that something is going to happen at your school, so I was kind of scared, but I mean, I don’t know what to say. I was secure in my room.”
Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Alberto Carvalho held a press conference at the school to address the incident, Tuesday.
“We averted the tragedy yesterday, but even what took place should never have happened,” said Carvalho. “It’s young people choosing violence over peaceful negotiation. They came here with the intent to batter the student who attends Felix Varela.”
“My message to the parents is we need to continue to do a better job of speaking with our kids,” added Carvalho.
Carvalho stated there will be extra police at the school’s campus as well as counselors for any student who may need to talk.
“We were able to tour the school and see that, despite the isolated incident yesterday, there was a sense of calmness. Our students are in testing,” said Miami-Dade County School Board member Lubby Navarro.
Carvalho said they are still investigating whether the knife ever made it inside the school.
“Obviously, the level of difficulty with us avoiding someone with bad intentions of bringing a weapon inside of their car and leaving it in their car, our ability to detect that is very, very, very difficult,” said Carvalho.
Moya is being held on $19,500 bond.
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