Brentwood High School has now become a killing ground because since classes started, there have been four students recorded to have been violently killed. It remains unclear if the deaths are in any way related and it is still a mystery who is doing the killings.
ABC News reported that the deaths in the suburban New York school, located in Long Island, might be related to gang violence. The first victim was found on Sept. 13. She was identified as Nica Mickens, 16, and was said to be brutally beaten. Her body was found on a tree-lined street in the area.
A day later, her friend, 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, was found dead in the wooded backyard of a home near the school. The teens were reportedly lifetime friends. Both Mickens and Cuevas reportedly suffered significant injuries on the head and the face.
It is unclear if the two deaths are related to the two other missing students whose remains were found just recently. Police officials said that the remains of 19-year-old Oscar Acosta, who has been missing since May, and 15-year-old Miguel Garcia-Moran, who has been missing since February this year, were found days after the two females were killed. Their remains were found in a remote industrial area in Long Island.
Inquisitr added that at the time of the disappearance of Garcia-Moran, officials believe there was no foul play. His family, however, thinks that he was a victim of gang-related violence. As for Acosta, authorities believe that he was a victim of foul play but no suspect or suspects have been identified yet.
It remains unclear what the motive is that led to the attacks but a law enforcement official, who refused to be named, said that the deaths are being linked to a violent Salvadoran street gang called MS-13. The gang was linked to the death of a Long Island woman and her son, who was only a toddler, in 2010. The woman and her toddler son were reportedly killed because she disrespected a member of the gang.
A Brentwood High School student was said to be confronted by some members of MS-13 on his way to a bus stop. The boy was forced to remove his shirt and give it to the gang members. He was then told to stop wearing blue clothing. MS-13 is suspected to be responsible of 30 deaths in the area in the past six years.
The school district recently issued a statement on their Facebook page regarding the killings in Brentwood High School. They said that there will be increased presence of officials from the Suffolk County Police Department in order to ensure the students' safety. They also asked students to avoid wearing clothing that will be considered to be gang-related.
Students are said to be afraid to walk alone in their community. One of the students, 16-year-old Alexis Portillo expessed, "Like, who else is going to be next, you know?" Another student who did not want to be named said that the gangs in the area do not play around as if they do not like a person, they will do something or come after that person.
