Knife Fight Leaves 1 Man Dead, Other in Hospital

A loud argument between two roommates described by neighbors as close friends ended Wednesday afternoon with one man stabbed to death and the other hospitalized with knife wounds, authorities said.

One man, described by police as in his mid-30s, was pronounced dead Wednesday evening at Ventura County Medical Center. His roommate, also in his mid-30s, underwent surgery at Community Memorial Hospital and his condition was not known, said Ventura Police Lt. Quinn Fenwick.

The identifies of the men were withheld pending notification of family.

Fenwick said it has not been determined if the wounded man would be charged in his roommate’s death.

The fight occurred about 3 p.m. in a three-bedroom Ventura apartment at Simpson Avenue and Cedar Street, which the two shared with a third man.

During the argument, one of the men entered the other’s bedroom and lunged at him with a small kitchen knife, officers and neighbors said.

They both sustained stab wounds while wrestling over the knife before one collapsed and died, police said.

Paramedics tried unsuccessfully to revive the mortally wounded man for about 10 minutes.

Ventura police said it was the first homicide in the city this year.

Neighbors said the two men had lived together in the unit for the past nine months.

“They were such good friends,” said Bill Trujillo, who lives next door and called 911 after one of the men came to his door covered in blood.