The teenage victim of a fatal stabbing near San Jose High School Wednesday afternoon was described as a young father trying to put his life in order.

Friends identified the teenager Wednesday night as Anthony Santa Cruz .a junior at San Jose High School who played football, and whose team gathered on campus the night of his death to light candles and pray.

The team’s coach said Santa Cruz was, at 16 or 17 years old, a father with a two year old son who was trying to leave his gang ties behind.

Police got a call around 3:15 p.m. and responded to north 21st St where they found Santa Cruz on the street.

“The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene. Again, currently we don't have any motive -- we don't have any suspects in custody,” said Ofc Albert Morales, public information officer for the San Jose Police Department.

As crime scene investigators gathered evidence that evening, pain was visible on many onlookers’ faces.

Grief-stricken family members broke down upon hearing the news that Santa Cruz had been killed.

This man ran through the police tape---screaming he is the brother of the victim.

Police say the stabbing followed a fight near the high school, perhaps gang related.

“It's pretty sad that young kids are dying over a color- you know for no cause. It's foolishness,” said Joe Mendoza.

Working into the night, police reviewed four angles of surveillance video of the incident that night. Crime scene tape was lifted by 9 p.m. that night.

The fatal stabbing of Santa Cruz was San Jose's fifth homicide of the year.