One person has been arrested after multiple people were stabbed in Huntington Beach on Thursday evening, leaving two dead and three injured, authorities said.
Police received reports of an assault with a deadly weapon near the intersection of 16th Street and Pecan Avenue around 11:15 p.m., the Huntington Beach Police Department said in a news release. When officers arrived on the scene, they found multiple people with serious injuries.
Two people died from their injuries and three others were taken to hospital with unknown injuries, police said.
One of the victims who died at the scene was due to get married in September, according to his friend Deandre Adams.
“We were having a really good time earlier in the evening, just watching the fireworks on the sidewalk and talking about going to the [Huntington Beach Pier]but we decided to stay here,” said Adams, who was visiting from Los Angeles.
Around 11pm, he was at his friend’s house when he heard a woman screaming outside.
“I go outside and see a lot of commotion,” Adams said.
A woman in a car drove onto the residential street, stopped the car and a man jumped out with a knife, he said. It appeared there were three people in the car, Adams said. Two bystanders tackled the man, who appeared to be armed with a knife, but not before he stabbed several people, including Adams’ friend, who died at the scene. Both victims died near their homes, Adams said.
Shortly after, police arrived and arrested three people who appeared to be in their early 20s, Adams said.
The woman who drove to the scene of the accident was handcuffed by police and appeared shaken, Adams said.
He would not release the names of the victims out of respect for their families. Police have not released any information about the victims or possible suspects. The bodies of both victims were still at the scene Friday morning.
“People here are terrified,” Adams said of his friend’s fiancée. “The men who died were laughing before all this happened, just trying to enjoy this time together.”
Huntington Beach police have not yet released a motive for the stabbing.
According to the police, one person is still in custody, but it is unclear whether these are suspects.
The incident is being investigated by the Major Crimes Unit. Huntington Beach police said they believe the stabbings were an isolated incident.