Dozens Brawl Outside Downtown San Jose McDonald's; 2 Stabbed
Updated at 2:10 p.m., 06/10/2011
SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- At least two people were stabbed and hospitalized, and three others injured after a massive brawl involving dozens of people broke out in the parking lot of a McDonald's near San Jose State University.
The fight happened around 10 p.m. about a block away from the university on the corner of San Jose and Third Streets, and just hours after a free downtown concert let out.
Police said a small crowd started gathering before it quickly turned into a mob of more than 100 people, many of who began screaming, yelling, and throwing punches when a fight broke out.
Witnesses said the friends of one of the stabbing victims literally dragged him into a car and tried fleeing the scene, but police stopped them before they could get away.
Those who work downtown said word is getting out that San Jose is laying off police officers, leading to a spike in crime.
"A lot of things come from a lot of out-of-towners," said restaurant manager George Bracamonte. "We talk to people, a lot of out-of-towners and I guess kind of an opinion I've heard was maybe a lack of resources in the police department, why the out-of-towners are coming here and doing what they do. As they call it get 'hifey' and crazy and disrespect the streets."
The condition of each of the victims is not currently known, but there are reports that a 17-year-old male and a 19-year-old male suffered non-life-threatening stab wounds.
Three others were treated and released for their injuries.
It's not known what started the brawl, which witnesses said was so big it looked like a riot.
Police spokesman Jose Garcia said race may have been a motive in the brawl, and that about half the group was Latino, the other half black.
"Some of the individuals who were involved in this disturbance are being uncooperative with investigators, as well as potential witnesses who were not being very cooperative. So that makes it very difficult for us to determine what occurred and the motive," he told KCBS.
Witnesses told CBS5 that the brawl was so big it looked like a riot. That kind of behavior isn't surprising to some. One man, who only identified himself as "Julio," said the area looks like a "war zone" late at night with groups of youngsters looking for trouble.
"Little 21-year-old gang bangers trying to punk all the older people," he said. "I feel like you come down here you gotta watch your back."
This is the second time this year that violence has broken out in a McDonald's parking lot in San Jose. In March, an 18-year-old man was shot to death outside the McDonald's near San Jose City College.
KCBS' Matt Bigler Reports:
