Boy jailed after stabbing outside Rattler Stadium

Suspect taken to Lovington juvenile detention facility.

A juvenile was jailed after he was accused of stabbing another teen outside of Rattler Stadium on Thursday night during a lightning delay of the football team’s annual Homecoming game.

Tucumcari Police Chief Patti Lopez, who initially investigated the attack, said the assailant was a 13-year-old boy who attacked another boy age 14 or 15 near the front gate of the stadium about 8:30 p.m. Thursday.

Lopez said Friday the attacker was taken to a juvenile detention facility in Lovington. She said he will be charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, unlawful carrying of a weapon and tampering with evidence.

Children’s court will adjudicate the case, she said.

Lopez said the investigation into the fight continues, but she added at least two other minors will be charged with public affray for participating in the fight that escalated.

The stabbing victim was transported by ambulance to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari and transferred to another hospital hours later.

Lopez said the victim was stable.

“I think he’ll make a full recovery,” she said.

Tucumcari High School principal Nicole Bright-Lesly said people were standing outside the stadium’s gate, waiting for the lightning delay to end, when a fistfight broke out between teens.

Bright-Lesly said during the fight, one pulled a knife. She said the victim suffered “pretty significant injuries.”

She said two Tucumcari Public Schools staffers responded to the fight before police arrived.

Rattler Stadium had been cleared of spectators about 6:40 p.m. Thursday because of lightning in the area.

Fans weren’t allowed back into the stadium until about 8:45 p.m., and the game began at 9.

Bright-Lesly said the school district would offer counseling to students who saw the attack.

“There were several eyewitnesses that were extremely upset,” she said.

Tucumcari Public Schools recently imposed a policy of not admitting minors to sports events without the accompaniment of an adult, though it was not clear the attacker had been in the stadium.