Suspect identified in Northwest Vista College stabbing

Desiree Gonzalez, 18, charged in attack on student

SAN ANTONIO – The young woman arrested in a knife attack on a student on the campus of Northwest Vista College Monday has been identified as 18-year-old Desiree Christine Gonzalez.

Gonzalez applied for classes in the fall of 2014 but never enrolled, according to Northwest Vista College Director of Community and Public Relations Renata Serafin.

Serafin added that it was unclear why Gonzalez was on the campus Monday.

However, a campus crime alert posted by the Alamo Colleges Police Department states that she was there for registration.

Katrina Cook-Garcia, 17, was still hospitalized Tuesday following the bizarre attack that occurred around 12:45 p.m. Monday.

"It was horrible. It was the most horrible, horrible thing I've ever seen," said Katherine Cook, who drove her granddaughter, Katrina, to the campus Monday.

Cook said Katrina was walking back to her car when she had her first interaction with the woman who would soon become her alleged attacker.

"This car almost ran her and her friend over," Cook said. "And so they exchanged words."

The driver continued on and Katrina got back into her grandmother's car, according to Cook, but the driver later approached as she and her granddaughter waited at a stop sign.

"She just started cursing and yelling at Katrina and we were scared," said Cook. "She walked up to the car and took a key or some object and scraped my car with it."

Cook-Garcia got out of her grandmother's car to confront the woman and that's when she was stabbed multiple times, Cook said.

The girl suffered a punctured lung, among other wounds. As of Monday afternoon, she could not move the fingers of one hand.

"There was blood everywhere," Cook said. "A student ran up and took his shirt off. Thank God he did that because she probably could've bled to death and he put a tourniquet on it."

"I'm in shock," said the victim's mother, who did not want to be identified. "I don't understand why people are so angry."

Cook tried to capture the woman herself by grabbing the woman's hair, but says she could not hold on.

Other bystanders jumped in to tackle the woman and the alleged attacker was taken into custody by Alamo Colleges Police.

"It's very surprising because its a great environment and all the people here seem so nice and I wouldn't expect this here," said student Jeremiah Molla.

"This incident poses no threat to our students, staff or to the community members," said Serafin.

"To see your granddaughter lying on the ground like that is just unbelievable," said Cook.

The victim's family believes Katrina will return to school "because she's a fighter," they say, adding their thanks to all who stepped in to help.

Gonzalez is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was previously charged with marijuana possession in 2013.

 


About the Author:

Myra Arthur is passionate about San Antonio and sharing its stories. She graduated high school in the Alamo City and always wanted to anchor and report in her hometown. Myra anchors KSAT News at 6:00 p.m. and hosts and reports for the streaming show, KSAT Explains. She joined KSAT in 2012 after anchoring and reporting in Waco and Corpus Christi.