This Other Epidemic

A 22-year-old male was stabbed to death late on May 6 in the 1200 block of 13th Street. Sheriff’s deputies responded to a call of an assault with a deadly weapon at approximately 10:45 p.m. They discovered the male victim lying in a driveway. He was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

According to a local shopkeeper, victim Donniell Wilkins was confronted by a group of Hispanic males and was stabbed. The shopkeeper, who declined to be identified, said he had provided surveillance videotapes to detectives.

“I told the cops they have 20 gangbangers hanging out at the taco shop, but they never stop to investigate them since they’re too busy writing tickets for money. I used to know all the wannabe homeboys, but now you have the Nestor, the Otay, and Palm Gangs. Things are getting bad here.”

According to San Diego County sheriff's homicide Lt. Dennis Brugos, the suspects fled northbound through an alley. One was described as a thin, young Hispanic male with a shaved head and tattoos on both arms. The other was a young, heavy-set Hispanic male. One of the suspects rode a bicycle.

A week earlier, on April 29, two brothers were stabbed by a man with an unknown object on 13th Street and Elm Avenue, four blocks north of this latest incident.