A fight involving three men behind a National City fitness center on Friday escalated into a stabbing that left two of them wounded, one fatally.
The fracas erupted about 10 a.m. at a strip mall on North Euclid Avenue, just north of Division Street, according to police. During the brawl, one of the combatants pulled a knife and stabbed the other two, then fled.
One of the victims died at the scene, Lt. Antonio Ybarra said. The victim’s identity is pending next of kin notification.
Paramedics took the other to a hospital for treatment of serious wounds.
“Emergency surgery was performed and the victim is now critical, but stable,” National City police wrote in a press release Friday night.
At around 2:30 p.m. on Friday, 29-year-old Christian Mejia was arrested for murder, according to police.
The reason for the fight was unclear. All three men appeared to be homeless, the lieutenant said.
