‘Secure’ Protocol Lifted at San Marcos High Following ‘Double Stabbing’ Near School

[Updated: Fri., Mar. 8, 2024, 11am]

The “secure” protocol has been lifted at San Marcos High School following what Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Raquel Zick described as a “double stabbing” near the campus on Friday morning.

In her initial post announcing the lockdown, Zick said students were “directed to get inside and lock outside doors” due to an “active incident” near the campus. In a followup post at 9:18 a.m., Zick stated that the lockdown was “related to a double stabbing near campus” and that a “suspect is outstanding.” At 9:50 a.m., she announced that the secure protocol had been lifted, adding that “the investigation is ongoing.”

This is the second time in two weeks that the high school has been put into “secure” mode due to a stabbing near the campus. A knife attack involving multiple juveniles at nearby Turnpike Shopping Center on Tuesday, February 27, initiated lockdown procedures. Two 15-year-old males have been arrested in connection to last week’s attack, with one facing attempted murder charges.