Two Stabbed Teens Released From Hospital

Three Fullerton teenagers were recovering Saturday from stab wounds suffered in a Friday night brawl outside a popular Papa John’s Pizza restaurant.

Two of the boys were released from UCI Medical Center in Orange; a third remained hospitalized in stable condition, a hospital spokesman said.

Police identified the victims as James Shin, 16, Taesoo Kim, 16, and Andrew Kim, 17.

All three live in Fullerton and two of the boys, Shin and Andrew Kim, work at Papa John’s.

“They’re both really good kids. They’re wonderful employees,” said Charlie Nesmith, director of human development at the company’s Orange County office. “In fact, Andrew had just gotten a raise.”

Police were still looking for the attackers Saturday, said Fullerton Police Lt. Mike Maynard. The department’s gang unit is handling the investigation into the fight, which occurred about 8:45 p.m. Friday.

Earlier in the evening, the attackers entered the pizza store.

Nesmith wasn’t sure whether they ordered a pizza: “Basically they just came in to see who was working, then they waited for them to get off work.”

The store’s security camera captured images of some of the youths, and the company turned the film over to Fullerton police, Nesmith said.

Police said the brawl began after four to six Asian youths ages 16 to 20 confronted another group of male youths, including the victims, in front of the pizza store at the southwest corner of Euclid Street and Rosecrans Avenue.

The boys began arguing, then the fight broke out, according to a statement by Sgt. Tom Basham, who is leading the investigation.

The suspects fled in an unidentified vehicle, he said.

The shopping plaza is a popular hangout for teenage boys, witnesses said.

Friday night was no different, except for the brawl, which involved about 20 youths.

A Papa John’s employee apparently tried to break up the fight by heaving a plastic table onto some of the boys, but they simply scattered into the parking lot.

Besides the pizza store, the plaza contains an optometry store, a Starbucks coffeehouse and a Del Taco.

A professional who works in an adjoining store said the small plaza, in front of a larger strip center with a Pavilions grocery store, is supposed to have security patrols.

“But every time I leave at night, there are a bunch of kids hanging out around here. And you know that’s going to lead to trouble,” said the man, who asked not to be identified.