Encanto Bar Patrons Beat Suspects After Man Is Stabbed

A San Diego man was stabbed inside an Encanto tavern early Saturday morning in an incident that ended with patrons chasing the assailants out of the club and beating them until police arrived.

Jose Juan Gonzales Ayala, 22, was treated at Sharp Memorial Hospital for a stab wound to the chest and cuts and bruises to his face and then released.

The victim had been involved in an argument with several men about 1 a.m. outside the Lomita Club in the 6400 block of Imperial Avenue, said police spokesman Bill Robinson. When the victim went back inside to the bar’s restroom, he was followed by the men and stabbed, Robinson said.

As word of the stabbing swept through the tavern, several patrons chased the assailants outside and assaulted several of them, Robinson said.

Robinson said police arrived and found Francisco Ferreira, 25, lying in an alley near 64th Street and Imperial Avenue, suffering from a head cut and multiple chest and face bruises.

In the 600 block of 66th Street, Robinson said, police found Richard Melena, 23, Jose Jimenez, 28, and Joaquin Jimenez, 25. Jose Jimenez had suffered severe chest bruises and Joaquin Jimenez had suffered facial injuries. Melena had no visible injuries, police said.

Robinson said that Ferreira, Jose Jimenez and Melena were booked on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the stabbing.