A person is in custody after a stabbing incident in Huntington Beach on Thursday night left two people dead and three others injured, according to authorities. The Huntington Beach Police Department reported receiving calls about an assault with a deadly weapon near the intersection of 16th Street and Pecan Avenue around 11:15 p.m.
Upon arrival, officers found several individuals with significant injuries. Tragically, two people succumbed to their injuries at the scene, while three others were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
One of the victims who died was set to get married in September, according to his friend Deandre Adams. Adams, who was visiting from Los Angeles, recounted the evening’s events. “We were having a good time earlier in the evening, just watching the fireworks on the sidewalk, and we were talking about going to the [Huntington Beach Pier], but we decided to stay here,” he said.
Around 11 p.m., Adams was inside his friend’s home when he heard a woman screaming outside. “I go out and see a lot of commotion,” he said. A woman in a car drove up the residential street, stopped, and a man jumped out with a knife. It appeared there were three people in the car. Two bystanders tackled the man, who managed to stab several people, including Adams’ friend, who died at the scene. Both victims died near their homes.
Police arrived shortly after and arrested three individuals who appeared to be in their early 20s. The woman who drove the car was handcuffed by police and seemed shocked. Adams chose not to reveal the names of the victims out of respect for their families. As of Friday morning, the bodies of both victims remained at the scene.
“People here are terrified,” Adams said, referring to his friend’s fiancée. “The men who died were laughing before all of this happened, just trying to enjoy this time together.”
Huntington Beach police have not disclosed a motive behind the stabbing. One person remains in custody, but it is unclear if they are a suspect. The incident is under investigation by the major crimes unit. Authorities believe the stabbings were an isolated event.
The Huntington Beach Fire Department reported finding five people with apparent stab wounds. However, police did not comment on the type of weapon used. “As to the nature of how this happened, the events leading up to it, what transpired during, that’s all part of the investigation and we hope to have more details further on,” said Jennifer Carey, spokesperson for the city.
Detectives are now investigating whether the individual in custody had any connection to the victims. “Obviously, anytime something like this happens, it is a scary situation, but what I can say is our detectives are taking it very seriously and doing everything they possibly can to find out what happened,” Carey added.
Police assured the public that there is no reason to believe there is any further threat to public safety related to the incident. The neighborhood where the attack occurred is a multi-family residential area in Old Town Huntington Beach, just a few blocks from the coastline where the city hosted its Independence Day Celebration “Fireworks over the Ocean,” drawing large crowds to the beach.
The names of the victims have not been released. According to Detective Anthony Pham with the HBPD Major Crimes Unit, a suspect was taken into custody, but the suspect has not been identified. “HBPD has no reason to believe there is any further public safety threat related to this incident,” police posted on X, formerly Twitter.
The investigation into the circumstances leading up to the stabbing is ongoing. Authorities have not released additional details at this time.
Source: KABC, Los Angeles Times, FOX11, Patch
