2 Brothers Stabbed; 1 in Critical Condition

VENTURA — Two brothers were stabbed, one seriously, during an attack on the west side of the city Wednesday evening that police suspect was gang-related.

Gabriel Ballard, 20, of Ventura suffered stab wounds in his chest and was taken to Ventura County Medical Center, where he was listed in critical condition, said Police Lt. Roger Nustad.

Jesse Ballard, 22, also of Ventura, suffered a single stab wound in his upper left arm during the 5:30 p.m. attack on Dakota Drive near Ventura Avenue.

The attack occurred after four men confronted a friend of the Ballards in front of their Dakota Drive home, Nustad said. When the Ballards intervened to help their 19-year-old friend, Bill Wilkins, also of Ventura, they were stabbed, Nustad said. Wilkins, who was being punched by the unidentified men, was not injured seriously.

Witnesses said that after the stabbings, the attackers jumped into a late-model gold Nissan Maxima or Toyota Corolla and drove north on Ventura Avenue.

Police arrested two young men later Wednesday. Isaias Tejeda, 23, and a 17-year-old, both of Ventura, were arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, police said. The other two suspects, who are believed to be gang members from the west side, were at large.