GASTONIA, N.C. — A stabbing turned a popular Gastonia park into a crime scene on Thursday night. It comes as many people are getting ready to head outside this Memorial Day weekend.
Police say a 32-year-old man was stabbed during a fight in the parking lot of Martha Rivers Park just before 8 p.m. It happened while a little league game was underway at the park.
NBC Charlotte talked to a mother who says Martha Rivers Park is one of her favorite parks, so she was shocked to learn about the man being stabbed.
“This is probably the safest park in Gastonia, it’s definitely an altogether favorite with the soccer games and little league going on,” said Katy Gray, who was walking in the park with her young daughter.
Police say the victim was stabbed in the chest during a fight in the parking lot, while a little league game was going on a short distance away.
Gray doesn't want her daughter in danger.
“I wouldn’t want her to be anywhere near something like that,” Gray said. “That is something completely outrageous for tiny humans to be around.”
Gastonia police say the victim was taken to the hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say the fight also caused $800 in damage to another man’s car.
“It’s just unreal that would happen here,” said Chris Jarrell, who lives nearby.
Jarrell says he’s been going to the park for nearly two decades.
“I’ve coached soccer in this park, I run in this park every week, I have never seen anything that would cause me to have concern about my safety,” Jarrell told NBC Charlotte.
Police say they’ve identified three persons of interest, but at this point, no one has been charged or arrested.
“I hope they figure it out and get it locked down because there are a lot of families that depend on this area,” Gray said.
Investigators say they’re still looking into what sparked the fight; it’s not clear at this point whether the incident was related to the little league game.