Alex Contreras-Rodriguez, 17

Feb. 23, 2007, 3:40 p.m.

Alex Contreras-Rodriguez, 17, a Latino youth (left), was stabbed on the campus of Washington Preparatory High School in Westmont and died at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center at 3:40 p.m. Friday, March 23.

Sheriff's deputies said Contreras-Rodriguez was leaving school and got into a fight with other students; it culminated in the stabbing. A 16-year-old black youth was arrested Saturday in connection to the killing, which police called gang-related. A kitchen knife was recovered from the roof of the school.

Times Coverage: Teen charged as an adult in slaying of gang rival

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11 reader comments

Alex, it's been 12 years sense you've been gone. Yet here I am crying, hurting like I did the very moment I found out you were taken from me, from everyone who loved you. Your smile, your laugh, believe me, it's missed. I miss it, I miss you, more than you'll ever know. I remember talking to you two days before your death, making plans on how to celebrate your birthday.. We never got to decide on what to do. You were someone I got to know, made memories with, I loved you. You were my best friend Alex! I love you and I miss you Pelon, Always and Everlasting...
"Darling baby, life is so lonely without you, life is so lonely without you sense you left these arms of mine, I've been alone crying, wondering why you left me behind". ♥

— Christina March 13, 2019 at 12:57 a.m.

You know Alex was my brother. I knew him better than most people. He lived with me and kept me out of trouble. To say he was a gang member is so wrong. He had no gang tattoos and barely trusted anyone. If someone needs to know about him or want to say something then it should be said to me. All you evil people trying to discredit his name, you reap what you sow. Everyone has bad times in their life, but thats no reason for a officer or anyone to just jump to conclusions about what they dont know. I was jumped in high school by the African Americans for hanging out with latinos and I look more black than Mexican. But I'm both. School district is only trying to save theirself by making him look bad. I went to Washington and had guns pulled out on me and the teachers did nothing to get the guys out the school. So think, if it was gang related why hasn't the two so called gangs go at it hard core? Because it wasn't gang related. It was racial because Alex helped alot of people who couldn't stand up for their self who were latino against those few African Americans who "controlled the school" who were actually gang members, but that doesn't mean he was a gang member. Do your selves a favor, stop talking about people you don't know.

— Matthew Taylor Nov. 17, 2014 at 4:22 p.m.