Party ends in six arrests

BURBANK — Six people were arrested Saturday on suspicion of stabbing five people during a private party at a production studio on Maria Street, police said.

Police arrested Spartak Hovakimyan, 26, of Van Nuys; Zareh Manjikian, 21, of Van Nuys; Arman Hayrapetyan, 29, of North Hollywood; Lyubov Remenaik, 21, of North Hollywood; Areg Khachikian, 29, of Glendale; and Sayad Agadjanian, 30, of Tujunga in connection with assault with a deadly weapon, Burbank Police Sgt. Robert Quesada said.

The group was spotted in a neighborhood near the stabbing and in a car, which matched a suspect description, Quesada said.

Since the attack, the group has posted bond and bailed out, he said.

Saturday’s stabbing occurred during a private party of about 20 to 30 people at Meridian Production Studios on the 1600 block of Maria Street, he said.

A group of partygoers started fighting about 4 a.m. outside the facility, Quesada said.

Five people — Levon Baloshian, 27, of San Marcos; Arsen Zaratsian, 33, of Burbank; Hovik Oganesyan, 27, of Glendale; Vahik Mnatsakanyan, 35, of Florida and Los Angeles; and Elen Nazaryan, 25, of Glendale — were stabbed during the fight, he said.

Instead of calling police for help, the victims either drove themselves or were driven to St. Joseph’s Medical Center to be treated for their injuries, Quesada said. The victims were stabbed in the back, thigh, arms, stomach and shoulders.

None of the stab wounds was life-threatening, he said.

The hospital notified police that several people had arrived with stab wounds, so police officers were dispatched to investigate, Quesada said.

“Nobody knows anything,” he said. “Everybody is giving conflicting stories. Nobody wanted to get involved.”

Police officers also went to the studio, hoping to get more clues about the night’s event.

The partygoers have been less than cooperative with police, he said, adding that many refused to go into details about what happened at the party.

The wife of one of the victims told police that a group of three to 10 Latinos had fought with partygoers, he said.

But other witnesses refused to provide police with descriptions of the suspects.

Representatives for Meridian Production Studios could not be reached for comment.

A woman who works in the area said businesses and employees in the neighborhood generally keep to themselves.

The group is scheduled to be arraigned Aug. 14 in Burbank Superior Court.