A 34-year-old Pacifica man was arrested for attempted murder Saturday evening after a stabbing on Main Street where revelers at the Half Moon Bay Art and Pumpkin Festival were still celebrating.
Both the suspect and the 31-year-old victim who was injured and hospitalized in stable condition are believed to be involved in gang activities, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff.
Nearby deputies arrested Ricardo Raya after observing him fleeing the area before tossing a knife, a sheriff’s office news release said.
“Deputies quickly located Raya, placed him into custody and recovered the knife,” it said.
Chris Cheeseman, owner of nearby San Benito House cantina, captured the altercation on his security video.
“They were in the street for about 10 minutes and then somebody else came out and started pointing at them and that’s what started it,” Cheeseman said in a phone interview Sunday. “It was just a couple people that were young and not making good decisions. They were just shoving each other around.”
The pumpkin festival attracted upwards of 60,000 people Saturday, Cheeseman estimated, and by 8:30 p.m. when the stabbing occurred, many partiers were still on Main Street carrying cans of beer and “buzzballs” – pre-mixed, ready-to-drink cocktails sold in convenience stores.
“The street stays closed all day and all night,” Cheeseman said. “They just keep kind of going up and down the street. It’s just people being very drunk.”
Raya was booked into Maguire Correctional Facility on charges of attempted murder and participating in a criminal gang street.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 650-363-4911. Anonymous tips can be made by calling 1-800-547-2700.