De Anza Student Arrested for Punching Cop, Having Knife on Campus

A De Anza College student who appeared to be sharpening a knife on the college campus in Cupertino on Wednesday afternoon was arrested when he allegedly punched a police officer, a college spokeswoman said Thursday.

Police responded at about 4:30 p.m. and found the student, who held a jagged portion of a can but no knife, college spokeswoman Marisa Spatafore said.

The officers asked to search him and his backpack, but he refused and became combative, eventually punching an officer.

The police then restrained him and searched his backpack and found a 6-inch knife, larger than the 2.5 inches allowed for knives on campus, Spatafore said.

He was identified as Ahmed Elkasher, 22, and was booked into Santa Clara County Jail on suspicion of resisting arrest, battery on a police officer and possession of an illegal knife.

He remains in jail on $31,000 bail, according to jail records.

Spatafore said he is not allowed to return to campus pending an administration review.

--Bay City News Service