Court documents reveal possible motive for deadly knife attack at Maryvale High School

PHOENIX – Court documents reportedly reveal a possible motive in this week’s deadly knife attack in a Phoenix classroom.

Tuesday’s stabbing at Maryvale High School may have been payback for a gun theft, according to court documents obtained by ABC15.

The victim, 16-year-old Michael Montoya II, allegedly stole a firearm from classmate Chris Aguilar, also 16, a day before the fatal attack, the TV station reported Thursday.

After the robbery, the suspect and his brother allegedly were heard saying they would kill Montoya.

Bond set at $500,000 for deadly knife attack at Maryvale High School

During Aguilar’s initial appearance on Thursday, the court set a cash-only bond of $500,000. Due to the nature of the case, he was ordered to be held at a Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office jail rather than a juvenile detention center.

His next two court dates were set for Tuesday and Thursday of next week.

Aguilar is accused of attacking Montoya during a class, first with his fists and then with a pocketknife that was later recovered outside by police.

Montoya died from his injuries after being taken to a hospital.

Aguilar was taken into custody by the school resource officer, who found the suspect bleeding from his hand. After he was treated at a hospital, Aguilar was booked on suspicion of second-degree murder as a juvenile. He will likely be prosecuted as an adult under the state law on violent crimes with defendants aged 15-17.

Police are asking anyone with videos or photos related to the knife attack to submit the potential evidence online.

Meanwhile, Maryvale High School shifted to a virtual learning schedule for the rest of the week.

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