San Rafael hit with multiple stabbings, shootings in 24 hours
SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - The City of San Rafael faced a wave of violence Friday night into Saturday morning as hundreds took to the streets to celebrate Guatemalan Independence Day.
Police responded to two stabbings and two shootings within 24 hours.
"At the beginning it was fine," said a witness.
But just hours later, she said the celebrations devolved into a chaotic and violent scene, which included sideshows at the intersection of Medway Road and Canal Street.
"People went crazy, like the cars, who show off, going crazy with the tires exploding," said the witness.
Police said they moved in and worked to clear the crowd, but around 10:30 p.m. Friday night gunshots rang out.
"I heard the shots down the block," said the witness. "It was like a bang, bang, bang. It was crazy. It was sad."
Police arrived at the 100 block of nearby Novato St. and found a 25-year-old man shot twice. He was rushed to the hospital.
Then two hours later, a fight broke out near the site of sideshow, ending with a 24-year-old stabbed, who is also now in the hospital.
It was the second stabbing police had to respond to that night. Earlier, at around 5:30 p.m. Friday night, an 18-year-old was stabbed on Novato Street during a fight, and taken away by ambulance.
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Sgt. Justin Graham of the San Rafael Police Department, said about the latter stabbing, "does not appear to be related to the celebration that was taking place later in the evening."
Then around 1:30 a.m. on Saturday police said they got a call about another shooting victim, this time a 20-year-old man who drove himself to the hospital.
A number of neighbors said the string of violence has left them shaken.
"We have the same concerns, and we want to make sure that things like this, don’t happen again," said Sgt. Graham.
One of the men shot is expected to be ok, but the other shooting victim is being treated for life-threatening injuries, along with the two other people stabbed.
Police are asking anyone with information, video, or photos to reach out.