HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — Deputies arrested two Hernando County high schoolers following an off-campus fight that led to a stabbing, according to the sheriff's office.
Authorities added that several students ended up carpooling to the planned meetup.
It happened just after 5 p.m. Monday on Sturbridge Court in the Heather subdivision in Weeki Wachee, according to a Hernando County Sheriff's Office news release.
Authorities identified the alleged knife-wielding teen as a 16-year-old. He faces several charges, including aggravated battery/cause harm or disability and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. 10 Tampa Bay is not identifying him because of his age.
Deputies who arrived at the subdivision found a teenage male suffering from multiple stab wounds. He was taken to an area hospital for treatment and was last listed in critical condition.
During the investigation, authorities learned that at least one of the teens involved used to be friends but their relationship eventually soured, which resulted in ongoing "issues," the sheriff's office said.
Those problems led to another teen suspect, identified as "Suspect No. 1" because he's facing misdemeanor battery charges, and the teenage victim planning a meetup to fight each other on Sturbridge Court.
The teen victim carpooled to the location with four friends; they stayed in the car while the 16-year-old and "Suspect No. 1" suspect walked. The victim and suspect began fighting but quickly, however, the knife-wielding teen attacked the victim from behind, "stabbing him multiple times," according to the sheriff's office. "Suspect No. 1" then continued to attack him on the ground, deputies added.
Four of the victim's friends jumped out of the car but were confronted by the two aggressors, deputies said. The teen with the knife then stabbed or slashed at her thigh, they added.
During an interview, the 16-year-old reportedly claimed he felt ambushed by the other teens, so he stabbed the victim. He later changed his statement to say he felt "Suspect No. 1" was losing the fight and stepped in to help.
Authorities say most of the students attend Weeki Wachee High School while the teen with the knife goes to Endeavor Academy.
