Juan Carlos Rivera is stabbed and killed at school over a girl

**solange82200** · September 16th, 2009, 12:24 PM

Here in Miami everyone is talking about a fight that broke out at Coral Gables High school (in the Miami suburbs), involving two 17 year old boys. The fight was supposedly over a girl, and ended the life of Juan Carlos Rivera when Andy Rodriguez pulled out a knife and stabbed him three times, right in the hallway in front of other students. The school was on lockdown for hours, with hundreds of parents gathered outside chanting "We want our children". As sad as all this is, it really hurt me to find out that his mother had sent Juan Carlos from Cuba just 5 months ago to live with his grandmother, so that he could have a better life. They are now trying to see if she can have permission to come to the states to at least attend his funeral.

Here is a quote from his cousin:

Meanwhile, Rivera's cousin went to the school hoping to find him. Rivera just moved to South Florida from Cuba five months ago. "I asked a girl, 'Hey, do you know my cousin,' and she says 'Who's your cousin?' and I told her the name and showed her a picture and she says, 'Oh, find out, because I think that's the guy that got killed,'" said Laura Peinado, as she sobbed.

http://www.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI131502/

Full story:

Suspect charged in Coral Gables High stabbing

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (WSVN) -- Students dressed in black returned to school a day after a 17-year-old was stabbed to death in the courtyard of Coral Gables Sr. High School.

Seventeen-year-old Andy Rodriguez has been charged with one count of second degree murder after he confessed to stabbing Juan Carlos Rivera multiple times on campus Tuesday.

Students said what started as a fist fight turned into a deadly stabbing when Rodriguez pulled out a switchblade and stabbed Rivera multiple times. "They were just pushing off each other and at one moment, one student pulled out a knife," said Felix Cedeno. "I don't know if it was a switch blade or a box cutter, and he stabbed the victim three times."

Miami-Dade Police said Rodriguez confessed to the murder and is currently at a juvenile assessment center in Downtown Miami. He will appear in court Wednesday morning.

Article Image 2Cedeno recalls the horrifying incident that occurred sometime after 9 a.m. "One wound on the chest, another wound on the collar bone and one right behind the kidney. I was like, I can't believe this is happening. I see a guy bleeding, I see him in pain holding his chest, and as soon as he fell to the ground I ran over to help him as soon as I could, while calling 911," he said. "He backed off, he looked at him with an angry face and then he ran off towards the Riveria side."

Peers said the two teens were fighting over a girl.

Officials locked down the school as students peered out of their classroom windows. Parents rushed to the scene, frantic and worried about their children. "A kid just died, just passed away that's what they say," said one parent.

Meanwhile, Rivera's cousin went to the school hoping to find him. Rivera just moved to South Florida from Cuba five months ago. "I asked a girl, 'Hey, do you know my cousin,' and she says 'Who's your cousin?' and I told her the name and showed her a picture and she says, 'Oh, find out, because I think that's the guy that got killed,'" said Laura Peinado, as she sobbed.

Five years ago, a student at Southwood Middle School was stabbed to death in a bathroom by a knife-wielding student. The parents of Jaime Gough were reminded of their own loss, when the news broke of Rivera's death. "No parent would like to go through that. You send your kid to school and you expect them to come back home," said Jorge Gough.

The Gough family said they will pray for Rivera's family and continue to lament that the change they had hoped to see in schools since their own son's murder, still hasn't happened. "I've been going through this for five years and I still haven't seen anything happen at the schools," said Gough. "Metal detectors or something for the kids. We're spending money on stuff and our children are dying in the schools."

Parents who have any questions, concerns or would like grief counseling should call the parent hotline at 305-995-3000.

**biteme** · September 16th, 2009, 01:05 PM

maybe if the parents took some responsibility for raising their kids
I understand the schools need to be made safe, but it still comes down to the criminal elements themselves.

**Valasca** · September 16th, 2009, 02:49 PM

I love how channel 7 is the drama channel. This story is HUGE on that channel.

**Rawrehz** · September 16th, 2009, 03:38 PM

omg

i totally agree on metal detectors and such. Too many kids nowadays are just losing it && then your kid ends up not coming home. instead of buying book bags && colored pencils, you're picking out a tombstone for your 14 year old or something. It's no wonder so many parents are locking there kids up and homeschooling them, but then again, so many people disagree with that too. lose, lose situation.

**Vanik** · September 16th, 2009, 05:11 PM

Wow. I always thought it was a chicken tactic when people pulled out weapons against someone who was just using knuckles. It's like, "Hey, you're kicking my ass with your hands...I'm gonna pull out a knife. Hey! You pulled out a knife, I'll pull out a gun!"

I agree with Biteme. I'm not a fan of metal detectors but in this instance it looks like that school needs some sort of filtering. Dude, someone was killed in their school hallway. It's not like it was a usual fist-fight. Someone is dead. Obviously school officials need to look into making some changes. That they haven't as of now, is pretty disgusting. It's like they just want to shove it under the carpet.

**MC30** · September 16th, 2009, 09:17 PM

what the fuck is up with this lockdown bull shit...oh someone is in the school killing...y'all all stay here. fuck a bunch of that shit. i'm teaching my kid (who is now five) to throw a goddamn desk out the window and GO! why do we want are kids to be fish in a barrel? can someone please explain to me why 'lockdown' is a good idea. i can change my mind. i just want to know how it is such a good idea.

**Hellsbells** · November 29th, 2011, 03:09 PM

Teen Gets 40 Years in Gables High Stabbing

The teen found guilty of stabbing a classmate to death at Coral Gables High School during a fight was sentenced to 40 years behind bars Tuesday.

Andy Rodriguez, 19, will also serve 10 years' probation upon his release, a Miami-Dade Circuit Court Judge Dava Tunis ruled. He had been facing life behind bars in the stabbing death of classmate Juan Carlos Rivera.

Before the sentence was handed down, Rodriguez briefly addressed the judge.

"I ask for forgiveness...I am not a murderer, I don't behave like a murderer," Rodriguez said in Spanish.

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/Sentenc...134664278.html

**TearCollector** · November 29th, 2011, 07:52 PM

"I ask for forgiveness...I am not a murderer, I don't behave like a murderer," Rodriguez said

I would think once you kill someone that makes you a murderer. When you bring a knife to a fist fight and stab someone 3 times, that is behaving like a murderer. Am I right or am I right?