Two survivors of a stabbing in Old Sacramento say they’re still recovering from their injuries and the trauma of the attack, while one victim’s mother is calling on city leaders and law enforcement to do more to address violence downtown.
Reginald White is recovering at home after he said he was stabbed three times in the head during the early morning attack Saturday.
“All I remember was we were hanging out and then, I got hit by something in my head. Then I blacked out and saw my brother on the ground, and I blacked out again,” White said.
White, who has a 5-month-old baby, said he and his friends had been out for a night of fun before the stabbing.
One of those friends, 23-year-old Avontae Brown, spoke from his hospital bed after he was stabbed once in the side.
“I just remember I was talking to a lot of people. Like, we were just chilling, we was having a good time, laughing, and then, yeah, that’s like one of the last things I remember,” Brown said.
Sacramento police said five people were stabbed and taken to hospitals. Officers later detained three men. Police arrested 18-year-old Ezekiel Griffis on assault charges, but investigators have not said what prompted the stabbing.
“From what I understand, five, like one person hit five people and that’s not ok, like going around hurting people, that, like, it could have been way worse, it could have been way worse,” Brown said.
“It hurts. It’s heartbreaking,” said Laura Casteel, White’s mother.
Casteel said her daughters told her to rush to the hospital after White was stabbed near the intersection of K and Front streets.
“My security of feeling safe for him is not there. I’m up and down all night because I don’t know if I’m gonna wake up in the morning and not have my son breathing,” Casteel said.
She said the attack has changed the way she views Old Sacramento.
“I’ve never had to worry. I worry now. I don’t want him downtown. I’m scared. I won’t go downtown,” Casteel said.
Casteel said she wants the stabbing to bring more attention to violence in Old Sacramento and downtown. She also said she wants more communication from investigators.
“Step up…I haven’t heard nothing. Why hasn’t a detective contacted me? Why am I not being aware of things that are going on? I want justice, not just for my child, but these other boys. It’s not fair,” Casteel said.
Police said the person arrested is the only suspect at this time and that the investigation remains ongoing.
White and Casteel said they plan to attend Tuesday’s court hearing for the 18-year-old who was arrested. They also believe others were involved in the incident and should face charges.
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