A teenager was stabbed to death in what police said was a fight over narcotics with five other males, and police today had three suspects in jail.
Jacob Koffman, 17, was fatally slashed behind an apartment building in the 15000 block of Dickens Street, south of Ventura Boulevard between Kester and Noble avenues, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.
He was one of two young men stabbed in the fight, which was at about about 6:40 p.m. Friday.
“During the course of the dispute, Jacob and another male juvenile were cut. Both were transported to a local hospital for treatment, where Jacob succumbed to his injuries and died,” according to a police statement.
The other victim was “medically cleared and released from the hospital” before being taken to the LAPD’s Van Nuys Station for questioning, police said. The two other males, a juvenile and an 18-year-old man, were also detained and brought to the station.
“Investigators interviewed the juvenile who was hospitalized and discovered he was injured during the struggle,” police said. “Both juveniles were subsequently booked for murder. The adult suspect, identified as Ennio Avolio … was booked for possession of narcotics for sales.”
A “tactical folding knife,” believed to be the weapon used in the attack, was recovered at the scene, according to the LAPD.
Two other people, described as Hispanic males between 17 and 18 years old, were seen running northbound from Dickens Street and are considered persons of interest in the case, police said.
Police asked anyone with information about those two or the case in general to contact the Van Nuys detective desk at (818) 374-0040. After-hours calls can be directed to (877) LAPD-24-7 and anonymous tips can be supplied by calling Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-TIPS.
