Suspect named in Fourth of July stabbing that left 2 dead near Huntington Beach home

With one suspect already in custody, Huntington Beach police are investigating what’s being reported as a stabbing that broke out late Thursday near 16th Street and Pecan Avenue, killing two and causing three others to be hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries.

Jennifer Carey, the city’s public affairs manager, confirmed officers were called out to a multifamily residential complex at around 11:15 p.m. regarding an alleged assault with a deadly weapon.

Although police would not specify how the injuries occurred, City News Service reported Friday that authorities told media outlets the incident was a stabbing.

“When [officers] arrived, they found several individuals with significant injuries,” Carey said Friday. “Three people were transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. An additional two individuals, unfortunately, succumbed to their injuries.”

The identities of the two victims pronounced dead at the scene were not being released Friday morning, due to an ongoing investigation by Huntington Police Department’s Major Crime Unit.

One suspect — Logan Christopher Kelley, 26, of Huntington Beach — was taken into custody and booked on suspicion of murder and attempted murder at 11:30 p.m., according to HBPD’s online adult arrest log.

While Carey confirmed numerous people were present when officers arrived at the location, she would not say whether an Independence Day celebration may have been taking place.

However, numerous Fourth of July festivities were going on in and around Huntington Beach’s nearby downtown area, including a fireworks show that had begun just two hours before the reported assault.

“It’s a big holiday here for us in Huntington,” Carey said. “Between our parade, businesses in Pier Plaza and the fireworks show at 9, the party goes on all day.”

Investigators were still processing the scene Friday. Although police did not believe there was any public safety threat related to the incident, the department was not yet ruling out the possibility that other suspects may have been involved, according to Carey.

“That’s still something we’re looking into as part of the investigation,” she said, adding that Major Crimes Unit personnel were “leaving no stone unturned” in their handling of the case.

Huntington Beach police are investigating an alleged stabbing attack that killed two people and injured three others on Thursday night, as Independence Day revelers filled the streets of the city.

(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)