Gang Link Suspected in Stabbing of Man

A 19-year-old Oxnard man suffered 10 stab wounds to his upper body in what may have been a gang-related attack early Saturday.

Patrol officers found Manuel Ortiz lying under a car in the backyard of a home on the north side of East Guava Street, according to a statement released by the Oxnard Police Department. They had responded to a 3:10 a.m. call about a possible gang fight in the 1700 block of Gisler Avenue but didn’t find anyone there.

Officers were then directed by a resident to East Guava Street a block away, where someone was said to be trying to enter a backyard, police said. A trail of blood led them to Ortiz.

Ortiz was taken to St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, where he underwent surgery.

A hospital spokeswoman said his condition was “quite stable” but could not say how long he would remain hospitalized.

It was not known whether investigators had interviewed Ortiz or neighborhood residents, said Oxnard Police Cmdr. Gary Amar.

Detectives suspect that five Latino males were involved in the incident, according to the news release.