Pizza Parlor Fight Ends With Injuries; 1 Critical

Several people were injured, one critically, when a large fight broke out Sunday night between rival gang members at a pizza parlor packed with families and children.

The injured were being treated at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura, Port Hueneme Police Cmdr. Jerry Beck said.

“The place was packed and we got reports that up to 100 people were involved,” said Beck. He had left the restaurant about 15 minutes before the fight, after picking up his daughter, who works there.

Two men were stabbed. One was in critical condition and the other suffered moderate injuries, police said.

Others injured were gang members and restaurant patrons, who suffered cuts and bruises from tables, chairs, beer mugs and beer bottles that were hurled and shattered during the melee, police said.

The fight started shortly after 6 p.m. at Toppers Pizza Place, a large chain restaurant a few blocks from Oxnard Harbor.

According to several witnesses, dozens of young men from two rival Oxnard street gangs were drinking beer and eating pizza when shouting started. Soon, objects were thrown.

Toppers has been a popular place to watch Los Angeles Lakers basketball. When the fight started, diners were watching the Lakers play the Philadelphia 76ers in the third game of the NBA Finals.