A recent rash of stabbings and shootings in Oxnard--three in the past week--appear to be the result of escalating gang conflict in the city, police said Thursday.
All the incidents involve a small number of people, most of whom know each other and are suspected gang members, said Sgt. Charles Dunham of the Oxnard Police Department's Major Crimes Unit.
"A lot of it is caused by drug trafficking. I think there is a territorial dispute taking place, that's what the word on the street is," said Bob Herrera of Victory Outreach, an anti-drug and gang group.
Witnesses--many of whom were family members and close friends of the victims--have not been of much help, Dunham said.
"Sometimes they don't cooperate because they plan to take care of it themselves," Dunham said.
In the most recent incident, 17-year-old Richard Madrid was struck in the back Wednesday night in a drive-by shooting on the 1200 block of South M Street. He was treated at St. John's Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and released, police said.
