Rancho Cotate High Student Injured in Knife Fight on School Grounds

Two teenagers were arrested for assault with a deadly weapon following a knife fight Thursday at Rancho Cotate High School, according to Rohnert Park police.

The two male suspects brandished a knife during a fight with another male student at 11:20 a.m. The victim was punched several times before being cut with the knife by one of the suspects, police said.

The fight was not gang related and the motive is still under investigation, police said.

The identity of the suspects were withheld because the two students, who also attend Rancho, are under 18, but police said both were arrested and transported to the Juvenile Detention Center in Santa Rosa. Both were charged with assault with assault with a deadly weapon and one faces charges for possession of a tear gas weapon.

The victim was released on school grounds after being treated on scene by an ambulance crew for a laceration, said Sgt. Jim Brady with the Department of Public Safety.

"These are not known problem kids, but this is always something we watch out for," said Principal Robert Steffen. "We take these things very seriously. The fight was broken up very quickly, but with 1,500 kids in one school, there is going to be conflict."

Steffen said he's asked teachers and the school's four campus supervisors to be hyper vigilant and aware of possible tension amongst students.

"We want students to be able to come to us with problems, such as this one," Steffen said.

Anyone with information regarding the assualt is urged to call police at 707-584-2600. Bay City News contributed to this report.