Violence Erupts Over Weekend: One Shot, One Stabbed

By Anne La Jeunesse

Tuesday, June 29 --One man was stabbed and another shot Saturday in two separate incidents that police said may have involved people who associate with gang members.

Neither man suffered life threatening injuries, and both were treated at St. John's Medical Center, police said.

The most recent incident occurred about 10 p.m. at St. Ann's Catholic Church at 2011 Colorado Ave., when a 22-year-old West Los Angeles man was stabbed in the chest by a man who crashed a quinceanera party, according to Lt. Gary F. Gallinot of the Santa Monica Police Department.

"The 15-year-old girl in whose honor the party was held had invited a girlfriend, who in turn, invited her boyfriend," Gallinot said. "The boyfriend, a possible gang associate, along with six friends, arrived at the party. They were denied entry."

Just after the seven party crashers were told they could not enter, one of them smashed a church window, and party members and a security guard became embroiled in a fight with the uninvited men, Gallinot said.

The stabbing victim, a 20-year-old Latino from West Los Angeles who was not identified, was wounded when he and other invited guests came to the aid of his brother, Gallinot said.

During the fight a single shot was fired by an unknown shooter, perhaps in an attempt to break up the fight, Gallinot said.

The suspects fled in a van, but were stopped by police nearby in the 1600 block of Cloverfield Boulevard.

Six men and a 17-year-old youth were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon pending further investigation following field identification by several witnesses, Gallinot said. The suspects are stabbing suspect Raymond Garcia, 20, Martin Soto, 29, Ernesto Soto, 21, Jose Perez, 20 and a 17-year-old who was not identified, all of Venice; Pedro Perez, 22, of Inglewood and Raul Caballo, 22 of West Los Angeles, and each is being held in lieu of $5,000 bail,
Gallinot said.

All of the suspects denied any gang affiliation, Gallinot said.

Unspecified evidence linking the suspects to the crime was recovered and a bullet casing was found near the church, but no suspect has been connected to the shot being fired, although one invited party guest was reported to have been armed.

The quincenera squabble occurred about 18 hours after a 20-year-old Santa Monica man was shot and wounded in the right leg while walking alone in the 2000 block of Pico Boulevard, police said.

Police, responding to several calls reporting gunshots heard in the area of the 2000 block of 20th Street about 3:40 a.m. Saturday, found no evidence of a crime and no victims, Gallinot said.

However, about an hour later, at 4:30 a.m., a representative of St. John's Medical Center contacted police to report a gunshot victim was being treated in the hospital, Gallinot said.

"The victim stated he had been walking alone, west bound around the 2000 block of Pico Boulevard on the north side of the street," Gallinot said. "As he approached the alley, the victim said he heard several gunshots. He felt pain in his right leg, but did not see anyone or hear any vehicles."

Police combing the area recovered undisclosed evidence in the 2000 block of Virginia Avenue, including four parked cars damaged by gunfire, Gallinot said.

The victim, who was not identified, denied any gang affiliation, but has been interviewed in the past with individuals known to police as known gang associates, Gallinot said.