411 REFERENCE · Wikipedia
2013 Spring High School stabbing
Reference material by Wikipedia contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
Stabbing attack in Texas, United States
February 2025
Spring High School stabbing SpringHSHarrisCoTx.JPG The northwest side of the school in 2009 Spring High School, Spring, Texas, United States 30.05296 -95.42986 type:edu_region:US-TX inline,title 2013 09 04 7:10 a.m. Students and staff at Spring High School Mass stabbing, school stabbing Pocket knife 1 (Joshua Broussard) 3 Luis Alonzo Alfaro Rivalry
On September 4, 2013, one student was killed and three others were wounded in a stabbing attack at Spring High School in Spring, Texas, United States. A 17-year-old student, identified as Luis Alonzo Alfaro, was arrested and charged with the murder. In September 2014, Alfaro was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 20 years in prison.Teen Luis Alfaro Sentenced To 20 Years For Killing Other Teen In School, Associated Press via Huffington Post, September 12, 2014.
The stabbing raised issues of gang and racial tensions among the Spring High School community and local community leaders.
Background
The stabbings took place within a context of ethnicity-related tensions between rival gangs within the student body at Spring High where, in the decade before this brawl, the white population fell from 65% to 29%.Horswell Cindy Spring High focuses on spirit, security 1 year after melee http://www.houstonchronicle.com/neighborhood/spring/schools/article/Spring-High-focuses-on-spirit-security-1-year-5819507.php March 31, 2017 Houston Chronicle October 13, 2014 In the past decade, the school, [...] has experienced a dramatic change in demographics[...] This is largely to the influx of black families from Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana relocating to the Houston area and Spring High taking many students into their school.April 2019 The black population increased from about 15% to 30%, the Hispanic population has grown to 36% within that time, and students in the high school socialized within ethnic boundaries. On the morning of the 2013 stabbings, the fighting broke out in a school corridor between black students calling their group "Drama" and Hispanic students chanting "Brown Pride".
Stabbing
At 7:10 a.m., in the Spring High School hallways, a physical altercation between several students escalated after Alfaro bumped his shoulder against 17-year-old Joshua Broussard, a junior at the school. During the fight, Alfaro was stated to have produced a knife and fatally stabbed Broussard to death. Three other students were also injured. Alfaro attempted to flee, but he was arrested at the school and was taken into custody after he allegedly confessed to the crime. Two other students were also taken into custody for questioning, but later released.Teen charged with murder in stabbing at Spring High School https://abc13.com/archive/9235459/ KTRK TV 5 September 2013Texas high school stabbings: Teen charged with murder http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/justice/texas-high-school-stabbings/ CNN September 4, 2013 September 5, 2013 Hanna, Jason Baldacci, Marlena
Aftermath
After the incident, the school was placed on lock-down. Students were dismissed from the school at around noontime. The district gave automated phone and e-mail messages to the parents of students approximately three hours after the stabbings occurred. Spring Independent School District Superintendent Ralph Draper said in a statement, "Every parent sends their child to school believing school should be one of those safe haven places. This is what we spend our nights and days working toward and what I lose sleep over. In my nearly 30-year career, this is the one thing you pray never to experience."Student Charged With Murder in High School Knifing https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/student-charged-murder-high-school-knifing-20160631 Associated Press September 5, 2013 September 5, 2013Sheriff's office: 1 student stabbed to death, 3 hurt in fight at Houston-area high school https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/sheriffs-office-1-student-stabbed-to-death-3-hurt-in-fight-at-houston-area-high-school/2013/09/04/6efe098c-15c6-11e3-961c-f22d3aaf19ab_story.html?tid=pm_pop https://archive.today/20130905062336/http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/sheriffs-office-1-student-stabbed-to-death-3-hurt-in-fight-at-houston-area-high-school/2013/09/04/6efe098c-15c6-11e3-961c-f22d3aaf19ab_story.html?tid=pm_pop dead September 5, 2013 The Washington Post September 5, 2013 September 5, 2013 Police suspected that the stabbing was gang-related.
Victims
The sole fatality was Joshua Broussard, who died at the scene after being stabbed multiple times in the abdomen.Spring High School Stabbing: Life Flight Responds As Photos Of Blood Surface In Houston http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/04/spring-high-school-stabbing_n_3865260.html Huffington Post September 4, 2013 September 5, 2013 Graczyk, MichaelLuis Alonzo Alfaro, Texas School Stabbing Suspect, Says Bump Led To Fight http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/05/luis-alonzo-alfaro_n_3876297.html Huffington Post September 5, 2013 September 8, 2013 Graczyk, Michael The three wounded victims were taken to hospitals and later discharged on the same day. 17-year-old Randall Moore and an unidentified 16-year-old student were treated for minor injuries, while 16-year-old Deavean Bazile was airlifted to a hospital in critical condition.1 Killed, 3 Injured in Stabbing at Houston-Area High School http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/Multiple-People-Stabbed-at-Houston-Area-High-School-222335781.html NBC News September 5, 2013 September 5, 2013 lil squeeze, youtube: swatgut123mods Joshua Broussard was a victim of gang violence although he had never been in a gang.
Charges and trial
The lone suspect, 17-year-old Luis Alonzo Alfaro, faced one count of murder. He admitted to stabbing four students, according to sheriff's homicide detectives. He was held on $150,000 bail.Motive still unclear after Spring High stabbing http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/spring/crime-courts/article/Spring-High-will-have-metal-detectors-when-4792846.php#photo-5141245 Houston Chronicle September 6, 2013 September 8, 2013 Rogers, Brian Christian, Carol
In September 2014, Alfaro was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter and was sentenced to 20 years of prison.
Community reaction
The incident led to criticism on the school policy of regulating fights that occurred on-campus, as well as the delay in the school's notification of parents about the stabbing attack, which took about three hours. Superintendent Draper responded to the latter issue, stating that there was a primary focus on securing the school and ensuring that no compromissory action would be taken against the investigation before the details would be sent to parents.
On September 8, 2013, leaders of African American and Latino communities addressed issues of gang and racial tensions, which are issues that police believe may have motivated the stabbing.October 2014
Related incident
During a memorial service held for Joshua Broussard on September 8, 2013, an altercation between groups of young men occurred in the Spring Baptist Church parking lot. At least eight gunshots were reported, but nobody was injured. The fight ended before law enforcement arrived to the scene. No arrests were made in connection with the incident, and it was believed to be gang-related.HCSO investigating reports of shots fired at memorial service for teen slain at Spring High School https://abc13.com/archive/9240832/ ABC13 September 8, 2013 September 9, 2013 Dobbyn, ChristineShots fired outside memorial for Joshua Broussard, student stabbed to death at Texas school http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/shots-fired-memorial-stabbed-texas-high-school-student-article-1.1450155 New York Daily News September 9, 2013 September 9, 2013 Knowles, DavidTexas school reopens after deadly knife fight http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/texas/article/Texas-school-reopens-after-deadly-knife-fight-4797762.php#photo-5160595 Associated Press September 9, 2013 September 11, 2013 Knowles, David
See also
Texas Schools
2013 Lone Star College–CyFair stabbing, a stabbing attack that occurred at a community college in Texas, which left 14 people wounded
List of school-related attacks
References
30em
External links
McDaniel, Jason. "Football team helps Spring begin to heal." Houston Chronicle. September 10, 2013.
Mellon, Ericka. "Fatal stabbing prompts requests for detectors." Houston Chronicle. September 5, 2013.
Category:Attacks on schools in 2013
Category:2013 murders in the United States
Category:2013 crimes in Texas
Category:African–Hispanic and Latino American relations
Category:Deaths by stabbing in Texas
Category:Murder in Texas
Category:High school killings in the United States
Category:Crimes in Harris County, Texas
Category:Attacks in the United States in 2013
Category:Stabbing attacks in 2013
Category:September 2013 crimes in the United States
Category:Knife attacks in the United States
Category:School stabbings in the United States
Category:Child murder in Texas