SAN JOSE — The mom of a 15-year-old boy who was stabbed to loss of life throughout a Valentine’s Day date at Santana Row stood in court docket Friday, her voice breaking, begging a San Jose decide to disclaim bail for one of many 5 suspected gang members police accused of beating her son through the deadly altercation.
“No one is safe from him,” mentioned the mom of David Gutierrez, who was launched as “Jane Doe” by the prosecutor who had organized for further safety within the courtroom.
A photograph of David Gutierrez, a 15-year-old Redwood Metropolis boy fatally stabbed on Valentine’s Day at Santana Row, is displayed as Santa Clara County Deputy District Lawyer Daisy Altamore talks to the media exterior the Corridor of Justice in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, March 14, 2025. Contained in the Corridor of Justice, Emanuel Sanchez-Damian, 18, the one grownup charged within the case, was denied bail on theft, assault and gang prices, on Friday. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Group)
David’s mom mentioned she was too afraid to disclose her title in case gang members would possibly search her out for harassment or worse. But it surely didn’t stop her — or David’s grandmother, aunts, classmates and even his girlfriend, who crouched by his aspect as he lay bleeding to loss of life that evening — from packing the courtroom or from protesting exterior what they take into account the gentle therapy of these charged within the case.
In court docket Friday was the one grownup accused within the case, 18-year-old Emanuel Sanchez-Damion, who was charged with the beating that preceded the stabbing however not the killing. Superior Court docket Choose Hector Ramon denied the request for bail and despatched him again to jail. Three different suspects are 16 and face juvenile assault prices for the beating.
The one one charged with David’s homicide is a 13-year-old boy — so younger that San Jose Police Chief Paul Joseph advised reporters final month the boy will seemingly serve little greater than eight months in a youth ranch if discovered responsible. David’s household and buddies carried indicators exterior the courthouse decrying that as inadequate.
“Even though they got those kids who did that to David,” his mom mentioned in an interview, “it’s not really justice.”
David was her solely youngster.
A sophomore at Sequoia Excessive College in Redwood Metropolis, he had a mop of darkish curly hair and was simply beginning to develop a fuzzy mustache. He had no connection to any gangs, police and his family and friends say.
He cherished college and had nice relationships along with his academics. He had a lot of buddies and cherished leisure boxing and cooking.
“People are always giving me compliments on how sweet and polite he was and caring,” his mom mentioned. “Everything that David did, he was very, very passionate about it. He always had a purpose. He was always really happy.”
On Valentine’s Day, as a result of David was too younger for a driver’s license, his mother and stepfather dropped him and his girlfriend off at Santana Row for his or her dinner date near the film theaters on Olsen Drive. David was carrying a crimson zip-up jacket that caught the attention of the 5 alleged gang members, who had simply been caught on video at Valley Truthful mall throughout the road a half hour earlier beating up, bloodying and stealing a shoe of an unsuspecting shopper, in response to a police assertion of details.
In accordance with safety movies at Santana Row, one among them nonetheless had the shoe in his hand after they confronted David, and one among them requested why he was “wearing red so much” — the colour of a rival gang.
Police say they punched him within the face and tackled him to the bottom. He was in a fetal place when a safety guard broke it up, in response to the assertion of details. That’s when 4 of the 5 accused fled towards Winchester Boulevard. David obtained up and, inside a minute, he and his girlfriend encountered the 13-year-old on the sidewalk close to some out of doors tables.
The girlfriend, who wasn’t recognized, advised police that David advised the boy he wished to battle him “one-on-one,” however the boy declined, saying he already “got his hits in,” a police affidavit says. When David once more mentioned he wished a one-on-one, the boy pulled out a folding knife and stabbed David thrice within the torso, the affidavit says.
The household says the blows went straight to his coronary heart.
The 13-year-old might make a self-defense case, however relations say doing so can be outrageous. David had simply been overwhelmed up and was unarmed, they mentioned Friday. Protection legal professionals have pushed again on the police chief’s assertion that he’ll solely spend eight months at a youth ranch, contending he’ll seemingly spend years in juvenile detention whereas the case is adjudicated and that it’s unfair to check youth offenders to adults.
Santa Clara County Deputy District Lawyer Daisy Altamore explains Friday, March, 14, 2025, exterior the Corridor of Justice in San Jose why she is happy the decide denied bail for a suspected gang member accused of attacking 15-year-old David Gutierrez whereas on a date at Santana Row on Valentine’s Day earlier than one other suspected gang member stabbed him. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Group)
Sanchez-Damion may face a most 20 years for felony assault prices, however Deputy District Lawyer Daisy Altamore mentioned most penalties are hardly ever imposed.
“The community’s hearts are broken over these senseless, horrific, horrible crimes,” Altamore mentioned. “Their pain will be forever, so they rightfully want accountability and justice for the killing of their son.”
Earlier than Choose Ramon denied the bail request, Sanchez-Damion’s protection lawyer, Renee Hessling, had argued that her consumer needs to be launched earlier than trial, that he had nothing to do with the homicide and fled earlier than the knife got here out.
“He’s a young 18-year-old who ran away to be home with his mother,” Hessling mentioned.
Within the courtroom, David’s mom and grandmother shared glances.
David would by no means be dwelling once more.
Family and friends members of David Gutierrez, a 15-year-old Redwood Metropolis boy fatally stabbed on Valentine’s Day at Santana Row, maintain indicators as Santa Clara County Deputy District Lawyer Daisy Altamore talks to the media exterior the Corridor of Justice in San Jose, Calif., on Friday, March 14, 2025. Contained in the Corridor of Justice, Emanuel Sanchez-Damian, 18, the one grownup charged within the case, was denied bail on theft, assault and gang prices, on Friday. (Dai Sugano/Bay Space Information Group)
Initially Printed: March 14, 2025 at 6:24 PM PDT
