Man stabbed on Santa Barbara's Eastside

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

A 20-year-old male was stabbed several times last night at the intersection of Haley and Nopal streets on Santa Barbara’s Eastside, marking the second stabbing in the past four days.
Lt. Dave Whitham, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara Police Department, said the victim told investigators he was assaulted by three Hispanic males between the ages of 17 and 21 for no reason.

Whitham said it is not yet known if the stabbing was gang related.
Though Whitham said the victim suffered from numerous stab wounds, he noted that the victim staggered one block to Nopal and Cota streets near Santa Barbara Junior High School, where he hailed a cab and was transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.
He said the first 911 call was received by dispatchers at 9:53 p.m. by people reporting a possible fight at the scene of the stabbing. Another arrived 10 minutes later from Cottage Hospital, Whitham said.
He said the victim told police all three men were assaulting him, but did not know if all three had knives.
Whitham said no suspects have been arrested.
He said the cab driver did not call 911 and the cab company is not yet known. He urged the cab company to call the police because the inside of the cab is part of the crime scene.
Whitham said the victim’s wounds did not appear to be life threatening.