An 18-year-old suspect has been arrested after five people were stabbed early Saturday morning in Old Sacramento, police said.

Officers responded shortly after 3 a.m. to the stabbing near Front and K streets, according to Sacramento Police Department spokesperson Officer Allison Smith. When officers arrived, they found three men with stab wounds and took them to a nearby hospital.

Two more men with stab wounds related to the incident were found at a hospital, according to Smith, bringing the total victim count to five. All five men are in stable condition.

Three persons of interest were detained, Smith said. In a 5:15 p.m. update, Smith said one of the three — Ezekiel Griffis, 18, of Sacramento — was arrested on assault-related charges and was being booked into jail. The other two who were detained have been released, Smith said.

“The investigation remains ongoing,” Smith added.

Stab wounds vary from the stomach, head and kidney areas, according to dispatch audio reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

Suspects fled the scene in a white Jeep Cherokee that was flagged by Flock cameras near Rancho Cordova, according to scanner audio, where at least two people were stopped.

All involved persons are in their 20s, according to scanner audio, and alcohol may have been involved in the incident.

The early morning stabbing is likely an isolated incident, according to Smith, who noted the investigation is still preliminary and ongoing.

Old Sacramento safety concerns in recent years

Saturday morning’s stabbing is a flashback to 2021, when a series of high-profile incidents caused concern in the area.

One of the first incidents that year was a brawl involving about 50 juveniles, police at the time said, with a gunshot heard later that night, according to previous Sacramento Bee reporting. A homicide took place that same summer.

Such incidents created frustration among Old Sacramento business owners at the time, according to previous Bee reports, referencing gun violence.

A survey of Old Sacramento residents, business owners and property owners around that time found that more needs to be done to stop street partying, intoxication, erratic driving and activities like cruising, which can add to congestion.

Safety measures in place

Cameras have played a role in responding to these concerns and are currently used to keep tabs on Old Sacramento.

“We have a lot of cameras in the area,” Smith said. “We have implemented our public safety camera network, and that includes cameras from businesses. We have you know cameras at different intersections in the area.”

The Police Department also works with business partners, including private security companies, to address safety needs, according to Smith.

These partnerships have already proved useful to Sacramento police, according to Sacramento Bee archives, as the camera networked helped investigators find suspects, including in an October 2024 robbery case in the pedestrian tunnel along the 200 block of K Street.

Sacramento police also evaluate Old Sacramento to see how the area is growing, according to Smith, who said the area has gotten busier in recent years. Additional officers are often deployed during weekends and around events.

Another recent change affecting Old Sacramento police response is the bike unit, Smith said. The unit’s office has relocated near Sacramento’s Downtown Commons, allowing for a quicker response time.

The bike unit was previously near 10th and L streets by the state Capitol.