They used to dealing with fights but say it's very unusual for something this violent to occur. And although authorities will not confirm it witnesses claim Sunday's stabbing was gang related.
A Fourth of July celebration along the Kings River near Adams Avenue was interrupted Sunday after three young males were stabbed.
A fourth victim was also hurt during the altercation.
"We believe it was a group of floaters floating down the river and somehow the fight started we think on the water and then kind of came over to the property here," Sgt. Brent Stalker said.
After the fight, detectives say the victims wandered away from the scene to try and find help.
People who live in the area discovered them in two different locations and called 911. Two of the victims were flown by helicopter to a nearby hospital.
Witnesses say one of them had been stabbed in the neck.
"They put the guy in an ambulance, then they took him out of the ambulance, put him in the lifeline helicopter and took him away," Michelle Leffel said.
As the investigation unfolded sheriff's deputies say they ran into some roadblocks. There were about fifty witnesses on scene but many of them were under the influence of alcohol.
"You know, they float down the river, they do a lot of drinking during the day and that makes it even harder for us to try and figure out what happened," Leffel said.
Investigators say they don't know what caused the fight. But, witnesses tell Action News it was gang related, something that concerns people who live here.
"Oh very concerning, you know, especially Fourth of July. It's supposed to be a family time, it's supposed to be a time when families come together not fighting over whose territory belongs to whom," Leffel said.
Sheriff detectives told me all of the victims are expected to survive. They did detain people on scene but no word yet on any arrests.
