BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Jason Cruz admitted to law enforcement that he stabbed and killed a Foothill High student last week, according to court documents. 

In interviews with deputies from the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, Cruz said that he knows that he did something wrong when he stabbed 17-year-old Jose Flores near the school on Jan. 21 and that he regrets the decision. 

“I’m sorry for what I did. I know it wasn’t right,” he allegedly told deputies. “Um, I take full responsibility and um, I’m sorry.”

Cruz along with two juveniles were arrested in connection with the fatal stabbing. 

Prior to the incident, Cruz told deputies that he had received a text message from an unknown number that a teen who was not identified was going to get “jumped” that day. Cruz said that the student, believed to be a relative, had previously been bullied at school. 

The court documents are heavily redacted and do not provide the names of the minors involved. 

Cruz said he walked to the bus stop near the school shortly before school. After the teen identified a group of students who were allegedly bullying them, Cruz said he went to confront them in an attempt to protect the teen and convince them to leave the teen alone, the documents show. 

When asked by deputies why he felt the need to confront the group, he said “it’s bullying, like it doesn’t stop” and that you have to force them to stop, according to court documents. 

 Cruz told deputies he anticipated a fight with the student he said was responsible for the bullying and had not planned to fight with anyone else. He told deputies he brought three green throwing knives and a black folding knife. When asked by deputies why he brought so many knives, he said it was “just in case they try to do anything too crazy.”

Cruz said that when he confronted the group, one of the teens came forward and began punching him. At this point, he said he pulled out the folding knife and intentionally stabbed the teen, later identified as Flores, at least three times, court documents show.

At the same time, Cruz said the students continued to attack him and he fell down onto the ground, at which point he saw Flores was on the ground as well. Cruz said he didn’t stab any of the other students involved in the incident. 

The fight broke up after several cars began honking, he said. As he got up, Cruz said he felt a sharp poke and saw that his shoulder was bleeding. He said he doesn’t know who stabbed him, according to the documents. 

When police arrived at the scene, Cruz said he gave his knives to the bullied teen so that he wouldn’t be caught with them.