Bethlehem, Pennsylvania



From Jersey City’s NJ.com of November 9, 2004

City man suffers 3 stab wounds



He scared off attackers by firing gun, police say.



A 29-year-old city man was stabbed in the back outside a city nightclub Sunday morning, but he was able to escape his attackers and scare them off by firing a gun, police said.



Arturo Robles Jr., of the 1000 block of Livingston Street, told police he was jumped by at least three men at 40 West on Broad Street. The men followed him to a friend's car and then stabbed him three times near his left shoulder blade, police said.



Robles was treated at St. Luke's Hospital Sunday morning, police said.



Robles, his wife, Candy, and two friends were at 40 West when the Robles got into an argument, according to witness statements.



Arturo Robles and his friend, Abimael Cruz, went outside the club to talk. Robles told police he bumped into a heavyset man, who then misunderstood something Robles said, according to police reports.



The men started punching and kicking Robles, who was able to get away. Cruz and Robles got to Cruz's car, parked at Broad and Guetter streets, reports say.



One of the men who followed them yelled, "Stab him," and one of other men did, police said.



Robles had two handguns under the passenger seat of Cruz's car; he was able to get one and fired three shots in the air, police said.



The three men fled toward Main Street, police said.



Robles, his wife and Cruz got into a car driven by Ileana Torres, who was with them at the club.



Nearby officers heard gunshots and responded to the scene. One officer stopped the car Torres was driving at New and Broad streets because the driver looked hysterical, records say.



After stopping the car, Torres told the officer Robles had been stabbed and also that he had a gun.



Robles has a Northampton County permit to carry firearms and fired in self defense, police said.