Merrimack Valley

Pair brawl after birthday party staredown

By Jim Patten
jpatten@eagletribune.com
Published: January 6, 2009

LAWRENCE — A 21st birthday party ended early Sunday morning after a "staredown" between two partygoers led to a brawl and a stabbing, police said.

The victim, an 18-year-old city man, told police he was dancing at the party when a man sitting beside the disc jockey began to stare him down.

He told police that pushing and shoving began and the disc jockey became involved and started a fight with him outside the house at 133 May St.

The victim told police that during the fight he was stabbed once in the left side of his chest, and that he was not sure who stabbed him, only that he was fighting with the disc jockey and was stabbed at the same time.

The organizer of the party was celebrating her 21st birthday in the second-floor apartment when a group of uninvited men entered.

The owner of the house called police to shut the party down when he found it to be out of control.

The stabbing victim was driven to Lawrence General Hospital by a friend, where he was being treated when Officer John Tully and detectives Carmen Purpora and Carlos Vieira arrived to speak to him.

The party organizer contacted the disc jockey and asked him to come and speak to police, but he did not return to the May Street address or go to the police station.

The victim was held in the hospital overnight for observation, police said.

The incident was reported at 3:45 a.m. Sunday, police said.

The investigation continues, police said.

ÔÇæÔÇæÔÇæ

Join the discussion. To comment on stories and see what others are saying, log on to eagletribune.com.