Two young men stabbed during a fight involving three other men on Oakwood Street between 18th and 19th at 6:30 p.m on Thursday remain in life-threatening condition, police said Friday morning.
The victims, 18 and 20 years old, are San Francisco residents. One lives in the Mission District.
The block where the argument broke out is near heavily trafficked 18th Street, around the corner from the Bi-Rite grocery store and near Tartine Bakery.
Witnesses told police they heard the argument, but no one understood that someone had been stabbed until one of the victims ran and then collapsed near 18th Street. At that point, witnesses tried to help, and many called the police.
The second victim was found near 19th Street. The three other men involved in the fight fled on foot, and no suspects have been interviewed.
Few neighbors interviewed this morning said that they had heard or seen anything. One woman who has lived on the block for 20 years was in her kitchen when she heard screaming. “I thought it was awfully early; usually you don’t hear noises until later at night.”
A woman who arrived home at 7 p.m. said that she saw police putting one man into an ambulance.
A resident who lives on 18th between Dolores and Oakwood wrote in an e-mail that the blood stains outside of Bi-Rite stood out to her.
Bi-Rite and other stores remained open. Oakwood was blocked off, and residents, she wrote, “had to be escorted to their doors by police. There was also a pair of sneakers by that pool of blood droplets.”
She said there was more blood on the sidewalk at the corner of 18th and Oakwood.
Someone left a yellow rose at 19th and Oakwood streets, where the second victim was found. It appeared from the trail of blood there that he had moved from the sidewalk and attempted to cross the street.
Officer Albie Esparza said that the victims have been interviewed by police. It’s not clear if they know one another or the three other men involved in the fight.
Esparza said the incident does not appear to have been gang-related.
Officers responded to a call of multiple stabbing victims at approximately 6:30 p.m. As of 10:45 p.m., they were leaving the scene. Firefighters were seen washing blood off the street a block away at 18th and Oakwood.
The only description provided by police was that one suspect was short and the other stocky. Anyone who has information is asked to call SFPD at 415-575-4444, or text a tip to TIP411.
We are following up with neighbors and will update as we get more information.
http://uptownalmanac.com/2012/03/pools-blood-following-stabbing-outside-dolores-park
This is right across the street from my house. Yikes, I hope the victims are ok. BTW this is on 18th and Oakwood, not 19th.