A 17-year-old student was stabbed outside of Mount Vernon High School, 8515 Old Mount Vernon Road, on Wednesday, March 5 at 2:15 p.m. The victim was walking home when a car pulled along next to him and the occupants displayed gang signs. One passenger got out of the car and allegedly stabbed the victim in the arm. The suspect got back into the car with two others and fled. The victim was taken by witnesses to Inova Mount Vernon Hospital with non life-threatening injuries and later transferred to Inova Fairfax Hospital. 

Police responded to the hospital to question the victim and were able to identify three suspects involved. Two 17-year-old males were arrested near one of their homes later that evening. They were both served with detention orders for malicious wounding and gang participation. One of the juveniles was also served with outstanding petitions for gang participation, violation of parole and throwing a missile at an occupied vehicle. Both suspects were taken to the Fairfax County Juvenile Detention Center. Detectives obtained warrants for malicious wounding and gang participation for Jose Mejia-Pineda, 18. He was arrested a short time later and taken to the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center. Mejia-Pineda resides at 4612 Steadman Place in Alexandria.