Student stabbed at Belton High School dies; fellow schoolmate in custody
BELTON, Texas May 5 2022 Caysen Tyler Allison, 18, is the student taken into custody after a stabbing at Belton High School Tuesday morning that resulted in the death of fellow student Jose Luis Ramirez Jr., 18, KWTX has confirmed.
The victim’s death was initially confirmed to KWTX by a source close to the family. A spokesperson for the City of Belton later identified Ramirez Jr., a senior at the high school, as the victim.
Police learned the teenager was stabbed during a fight in a campus bathroom. ”I am so sorry to have to provide this update,” Belton Police Chief Gene Ellis said. “My prayers are with the family and the entire Belton High School community.”
“I am deeply saddened by the tragic incident at Belton High School today and send my prayers to all of those who have been impacted by it, particularly to the young victim and his family,” said Belton Mayor Wayne Carpenter.
The stabbing was reported shortly at 9:47 a.m. and the school was immediately placed on lockdown. After the stabbing, Allison allegedly ran out of the school and left the area. Police found him and took him into custody at around 10:09 a.m.
Parents told KWTX that students had to turn in their phones at school on Tuesday because of STAAR testing and that made it difficult for some to communicate with their children during the lockdown.
“It was very stressful, just wondering if everyone is okay,” said Ailehs Gaines, the parent of a freshman of Belton High, “The stress to come to school for STARR testing and then have something like this happen, it’s pretty bad.”
Sarah Lopez, the mother of a 10th grade Belton High student, was able to speak with her daughter during the terrifying ordeal. “She was scared. I heard commotion in the background. I asked if she was okay and she said, ‘Mom, someone has been stabbed.’ So, I asked her if she was okay and she said, ‘I’m okay, but I saw what happened.’”
“It’s too close to home. You hear it all the time, but when it actually happens at home, it’s shocking because you start thinking about the community and you think of the people you work closely with that also have children going here,” Lopez added.
The suspect student “is being interviewed” and the investigation is ongoing, Chief Ellis said in a video statement shared on social media.
The school dismissed students for the day at about Noon Tuesday. KWTX has learned classes at the high school were canceled for Wednesday.
Tuesday evening, Belton High School students and members of the Belton community gathered at Christ The King Catholic Church Ramirez Jr. They attended a brief service and then released red balloons into the sky.
“Joe is just a goofy person. He’s just always making you laugh smile,” said Bryan Lopez, a childhood friend, “We were just hanging out the other day on prom night.”
“We are indeed close to the school and many of the students go to church here so we are very connected in that way. So we stand with them in that way and we heal with them and we mourn with them,” said Father Sang Quan, the pastor at Christ The King.
KWTX
