4 teenagers wounded in Laguna Beach knife fight

Four teenagers suffered knife wounds in a Laguna Beach fight that landed one boy in surgery and another in detention, police said Friday.

The clash involving 16- and 17-year-old boys occurred about 2:38 p.m. Thursday near Kilo Way and Alta Vista Way, said Lt. Jason Kravetz of the Laguna Beach Police Department.

After responding to reports about a fight, officers stopped a vehicle carrying four teenagers at Glenneyre Street and Alta Vista Way.

One of the boys had been stabbed in the stomach and two others were slashed on their hands, Kravetz said. They were taken to a hospital, where the boy with the stomach wound underwent surgery. He was expected to survive.

Other officers went to a home on Juanita Way, where they found a 16-year-old boy with minor knife wounds, Kravetz said. He was treated and taken to a hospital for further evaluation and later detained for assault with a deadly weapon and taken to juvenile hall, Kravetz said.

“It appears the group of kids in the [vehicle] had been involved in a week-long disagreement with the kid at the house,” Kravetz said. “It culminated with the boys driving up to his house to confront him, and the kid armed himself.”

-- Ann M. Simmons

Map: The location of the knife fight. Credit: Google Maps

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Comments

[SAY WHAT ?]

"...wounds in a Laguna Beach a fight"

What is a "a fight" ?

[Roger Ramjet]

Is'nt funny how these really affluent parents buy million dollar homes behind guarded gates at exclusive fenced developments and their kids are involved in knife fights! Those walls did'nt keep the bad out, it is within.....

[LDM]

Ok let me get this straight 4 teenagers go to a house to confront 1 teenager and the 1 teenager who had been confronted by 4 teenager is arrested!!! Ok can someone do the math please!!! If I was the one teenager being confronted at my own house by 4 other teenagers I would protect myself too!!!!

[Angela]

Sound like self Defense.

[kooo]

Ganging up on one kid by driving to his house can be very intimidating, not to mention possible retaliation since the residence is known. This could be self defense, but other methods such as calling the police should have been the first action by the kid at home.

[Victoria M.]

I think if four boys drove up to my son to "confront" him and he was alone, I wouldn't blame him for grabbing a knife. It is called "self-defense" last time I checked. If they also were armed with knives or other weapons, the kid could have been dead by the time police arrived from a 911 call. They all shoud go to juvenile hall for a reality check.

[clam608]

Kids nowadays need to grow up...

[JonB]

Sounds like a case of self-defense to me. One kid at his own house against three assailants.

[paco garnav]

well, it's better than guns.

i hope they had jeans and leather jackets.

[exlagunan]

when youre a jet, youre a jet all the way, from your first cigarette, to your last dyin day...

[Frank The Tank]

Finally, we are heading back to a kinder and gentler time before drive-by shootings. It's like the early 80's all over again.

[vigilante]

The LA Times is now officially one of the worst newspapers in the country.

[Costa Mesa resident]

I could care less if the idiot with the knife was defending himself. You stab someone, you get arrested, end of story.

[Ken]

Roger your comments about million dollar homes in gated communities it completely incorrect. This neighborhood is a normal neighborhood without any gates or walls it just happens to be a beach community with expensive homes. You need to get a geography lesson because Laguna Beach isn't Coto De Caza.

[Rik]

4-1 ... I'd grab a knife too...especially if they came for me at my house...

[James]

Here's another example: Salvadorian bouncer working at a bar on Long island throws a drunk out of the bar. At closing time the drunk and several friends confront the bouncer as his wife (and their newborn baby) picks him up after work. The drunk and friends surround the car and start to smash the windows with baseball bats and tire irons. The bouncer drives over one of these bums in an effort to escape. The bouncer was sentenced to 15 years in jail. The bouncer testified that he feared for his life and the lives of his wife and child. Upon passing sentence the judge remarked to the defendant: I hope it was worth it.

[Jim]

WHAT?!?!?

A kid confronted @ his home is arrested for apparently doing a pretty good job of defending himself, and then HE'S ARRESTED?

Actually viewed as mutual assault, both sides pressed charges, both sides got arrested and booked and possibly charges will be dropped for some or all somewhere along the way.

I made the mistake of defending myself once, and no charges were pressed against my assailant. Mutual assault.

I hope this kid is treated with the respect he has earned when he returns to school.

[Devils Advocate]

Funny how they are reported as 16 & 17 year old "BOYS". Yet if this incident had occurred in a shady part of Los Angeles they would be reported as 16 & 17 year old teenagers charged as adults.

[Devils Advocate]

Maybe the boy in the house was a Shark and the four in the car were Jets.

[Another Costa Mesa Resident]

Typical ignorant Costa Mesa Resident remarks... If you don't care, then don't pass judgement.

[Fed Up]

I could care less if the idiot with the knife was defending himself. You stab someone, you get arrested, end of story.

Posted by: Costa Mesa resident | March 12, 2010 at 02:51 PM

So, I guess you are no longer allowed to defend yourself. Might as well disband the Police and Military.

[lva]

well, if he killed them he would have been ok, since dead people don't tend to press charges or defend themselves in court very well.

[don keyhote]

....kilo way????....alta vista????...are you sure these "boys" aren't from the east l.a. barrio????...a good "cholo" knife fight!....this was invasion and you should be able to defend your castle!....the Marines could use this kid........

[mrhinkydink]

They must have cut themselves...

[Pau Sumner]

too bad is California....its ok to shoot someone if they enter your property without permission in some state