High school friends and family members held a vigil last night in honor of 16-year-old Eric Ronald Sargeant, who was jumped and fatally stabbed in a reported robbery targeting his cellphone.

Sargeant was at Acacia Avenue and Cherrywood Drive in East Hemet when the attack happened Monday, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department:

Los Angeles Local News, Weather, and Traffic

First-responders were sent to the location at 4:45 p.m. and put Sargeant in a helicopter so he could be rushed to a hospital, sheriff's officials said.

At first he was listed in critical-but-stable condition, authorities said: But he didn't make it, succumbing to his injuries about 10:15 that night.

According to a sheriff's statement …

… Witnesses at the scene stated they saw three or four … male juveniles dressed in dark clothing assault the victim and flee through a vacant field northwest of the location.


View Larger Map

They're looking for witnesses or anyone with inside information about the crime. Call detectives at 760-393-3500.

[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.