Man Listed as Serious After Jacket Fight : Oxnard: Four people are injured trying to fend off a group of five or six young males who wanted the clothing.

A 43-year-old Oxnard resident who rushed to help a man being stabbed in a fight in the city’s La Colonia neighborhood was reported in serious condition Tuesday at St. John’s Medical Center, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Oxnard resident Jose Luna Hernandez and two other men were stabbed Monday night when they tried to help Luis Gallardo Melena, 23, fend off a group of five or six young men who wanted his jacket, Oxnard police investigators said.

Hernandez underwent surgery at St. John’s Medical Center for abdominal wounds Monday night, a St. John’s spokeswoman said.

Melena and a friend were walking home from a local market about 7:30 p.m. Monday when they were confronted by five or six males, ages 17 to 25, Oxnard Police Department spokesman David Keith said Tuesday.

The suspects demanded Melena’s jacket and when he refused, a fight started in the parking lot at Copper Road and McKinley Avenue, police said.

Melena’s friend ran for help and returned moments later with Melena’s brother, Juan, and a small group a nearby residents, Sgt. Charles Dunham said. Hernandez, Juan Melena, 27, and Baltazar Morales, 19, joined the fight in an attempt to help Luis Melena, Dunham said.

“By this time they had stabbed Luis,” Dunham said. “When others showed up to assist, the suspects pulled knives and then they all got stabbed.”

The four Oxnard residents were transported to three Ventura County hospitals for treatment Monday night.

Luis Melena was listed in good condition Tuesday at Pleasant Valley Hospital, and Morales and Juan Melena were listed in fair condition at Ventura County Medical Center.

An investigation into the incident is continuing.

“We feel like we have some good leads,” Keith said. “I think there’s a good chance we’ll get some arrests soon.”

Keith said the department has “good descriptions” of the suspects and is investigating the case as a gang-related incident. Keith said investigators had not determined why the attackers wanted the victim’s jacket.

“There’s been several incidents where that’s been used to challenge an innocent passerby by some of these local gang members,” Dunham said, adding that Melena might have been wearing a jacket with a popular sports insignia.

Keith said there is no indication that the victims were involved in gangs.