A young student athlete, who dreamed of joining the NFL, has tragically lost his life due to a stabbing incident near a Los Angeles elementary school. His grieving family shared his aspirations, following his untimely death.
Fifteen-year-old Aziel Zacapala was fatally stabbed on Friday near Potrero School in El Monte around 1 p.m., as reported by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department. Zacapala attended Rosemead High School, located a few miles from the incident, and played on the school’s football team.
Authorities were alerted about the altercation outside the school after a local hospital informed them of three stabbing victims, including Zacapala, who had sought emergency medical attention.
Tragically, the teenager was declared dead shortly after arrival at the hospital. The other two individuals, described as adult males, survived and are reported to be in stable condition, according to police.
Authorities have not yet made any arrests in connection with the incident, and investigations are ongoing to determine if multiple individuals were involved, stated the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
The department added that it is investigating the crime and that ‘currently, there is no suspect description available.’
It remains unclear why Zacapala was near the elementary school or what caused the fight that led to three people being stabbed.
A GoFundMe page set up by Zacapala’s uncle to help the teen’s single mother of three pay for a funeral and cover regular expenses while she grieves revealed the student athlete’s dreams of ‘making it to the big leagues as a football player.’
Aziel Zacapala, 15, a high school football player, was fatally stabbed during a fight outside a Los Angeles area elementary school on Friday. Police have not identified a suspect
Zacapala’s uncle revealed that the student had ‘big dreams of making it to the big leagues as a football player’
The uncle, Daniel Aguilar, described Zacapala as ‘a beloved nephew, friend, son, and high school football player/great friend.’
‘Aziel was a good kid, full of promise and kindness, and he had big dreams of making it to the big leagues as a football player,’ Aguilar added.
The uncle said that less than a week before the fatal stabbing, Zacapala had been spending time at his high school’s Fourth of July event with his football friends, who referred to him by the nickname ‘AZ.’
‘His dedication to his sport and his positive spirit inspired everyone around him, and his absence leaves a deep void in our family and community,’ Aguilar said.
The teen’s death has devastated his mother, who is raising two younger siblings, including a newborn. She is also unemployed and has been doing Instacart deliveries ‘just to stay afloat,’ the uncle said.
‘As a father of three myself, I cannot begin to imagine the pain my sister is experiencing,’ he added.
Zacapala was described as ‘a beloved nephew, friend, son, and high school football player/great friend’
Zacapala had two younger siblings, including a newborn, according to his uncle. The teen is pictured with his younger siblings and a third loved one
As of Sunday morning, the GoFundMe smashed its original goal of $9,000 and has raised more than $18,000.
Zacapala was killed less than a week after another student-athlete football player was found dead in Mississippi on July 6.
In that case, 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells had gone missing on July 4th after enjoying a boating day with friends, and his body was discovered after a two-day, multiagency search.