Juvenile suspect in death of Jordan High School student charged as an adult

SANDY, Utah ( ABC4 ) — The juvenile suspect who allegedly took the life of Kian Hamilton , a 16-year-old Jordan High School student, in a parking lot stabbing in Sandy has been charged as an adult, court records show.

Christopher De La Rosa, 16, was charged with one count of first-degree felony murder and two counts of second-degree felony obstructing justice, according to court documents.

Hamilton was allegedly stabbed by De La Rosa during a physical fight on South State Street on Friday, Aug. 23. He was taken to the hospital where medical staff provided life-saving aid, but he ultimately died due to his injuries.

One witness reportedly told investigators that De La Rosa and another person “had beef” with Hamilton and his friend group for about a year before the stabbing. De La Rosa and his friend group had allegedly jumped Hamilton previously, which led to ongoing tension between the two groups.

Multiple witnesses told detectives the two groups met in the parking lot to “settle things” with a one-on-one fight but several fights broke out. In the altercation, De La Rosa allegedly threw a rock at Hamilton, which led to a fight between the two that escalated into the stabbing.

Detectives say they were able to obtain a cell phone video of the fight through their investigation. In the video, De La Rosa can allegedly be seen pulling a knife out of his waistband before lunging at Hamilton. Prosecutors say De La Rosa then “walked away without any regard for the victim.”

After the fight, De La Rosa allegedly told several people who were at the fight to delete any video taken of the incident.

Upon being apprehended by police, De La Rosa reportedly did not know Hamilton had died from the stabbing, exclaiming “He died?” after learning of his charges. According to court documents, De La Rosa asked the detective if he was joking and made comments about “ruining his future.”

Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

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