Teen charged in connection with stabbing at Sunrise Mall
A teen is facing several charges in connection to a Friday stabbing at Sunrise Mall, according to the Brownsville Police Department.
Jose Alejandro Garza, 17, was arraigned on charges of aggravated assault and tampering with evidence after he was identified as the suspect who stabbed a victim during a fight at the mall, police said in a news release.
The incident took place at Sunrise Mall in Brownsville, where Garza had a verbal altercation with an unidentified 23-year-old male by the movie entrance, according to a news release.
Several males started to fight when Garza took out a knife and stabbed the victim in the abdominal area, the release stated.
The victim was rushed to Valley Regional Hospital by his friends, as Garza entered the mall.
Brownsville police interviewed witnesses at the scene who described the suspect as a male wearing a red zip-up sweater and a "Cuh-like style haircut," according to the release.
An off-duty officer working security at the mall overheard the description and located Garza.
According to the release, Garza refused to talk to officers and said he was a minor was waiting for his mother to arrive before he could say anything. Officers found a knife blade cover on Garza, according to the release.
Witnesses positively identified Garza as the person that stabbed the victim.
Garza intentionally hid the knife from officers and was taken into custody. His bond was set at $70,000.