Attackers Brought Guns To Bucks Co. School Stabbing: Police

FALLS TOWNSHIP, PA — A stabbing outside of a Bucks County elementary school Saturday was part of an arranged fight to which several people brought guns and other weapons, according to local police.

Zachary Santana, 21, of Philadelphia has been arrested in connection with the stabbing. He turned himself in to Falls Township Police on Wednesday. His bail was set at 10 percent of $100,000 and he was taken to Bucks County Correctional Facility on charges including felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to police, Santana stabbed a 17-year-old outside Manor Elementary School in Levittown on Saturday. The teen was stabbed twice in the back and at least once in the abdomen, puncturing a lung.

He had fractured ribs and both his left and right forearms were broken in the attack, in which police say Santana and others also kicked and punched the victim.

Falls Township Police were called at 5:44 p.m. Saturday to the school, at 401 Penn Valley Rd.

According to a police affidavit, the stabbing happened as the result of an arranged fight between Santana, who also goes by "Zachary Blanco," and the teen. A witness told officers that the fight happened after the teen saw a social media post from a friend in which she said Santana was "going crazy" at her Levittown home and punching things.

The teen and three others went to the home, on North Park Drive, to check on the woman and confront Santana. As a result, police say, Santana and the teen agreed to meet and fight at Manor Elementary.

The witness, who is 16, told police that at the time of the fight, several vehicles pulled up and the people who got out started opening their trunks. He told officers that it appeared several of them had guns in their waistbands and that Santana shouted, "Stop or we will shoot!"

Everyone in the victim's group except for him and the witness ran away, police said. That, they say, is when Santana attacked the teen, stabbing him several times before the others in his group started kicking him.

They ran back to their vehicles and the witness helped the victim to Timothy Lane, where they called police. The victim was taken to St. Mary Medical Center, where he underwent surgery and was listed in serious condition.

On Sunday, Manor Elementary School Principal Terri Salvucci wrote a letter to members of the school community saying there were no students or staff at school at the time of the stabbing.

"This incident has not impacted the normal operation of our school and we plan to open at the usual time on Monday morning," Salvucci wrote. "We do anticipate there may be some questions from our students when they return to school, and our staff will be prepared to deal with those in an age-appropriate manner."