WESTFIELD – A violent fight among more than a dozen men roused residents from their homes shortly before 1 a.m. Friday morning.
Police were called to 16 Yale Street at 26 Holland Avenue at 12:55 a.m. by numerous neighbors of Yale Street and Holland Avenue reporting a disturbance, according to police logs.
Westfield Police Capt. Michael McCabe said a half dozen units responded to the scene where a fight was in progress. The melee involved approximately 15 people including a mix of adults and juveniles.
Three men–one from Chicopee, one from Holyoke and one from Springfield–are considered the aggressors, McCabe said.
They are considered the aggressors, he said, because “they came to Westfield heavily armed with dangerous weapons” with the intent to fight.
Names are not being released at this time since the incident is still under investigation and charges are pending, said McCabe.
Allegedly, a male from Westfield went to one of the suspect’s workplace in Holyoke earlier on Thursday to settle an argument regarding a girl, which resulted in a physical altercation between the two, McCabe said.
Shortly before 1 a.m. Friday morning, the Holyoke suspect, along with the two other men, went to confront the Westfield man who had beat him up.
The three men went armed with baseball bats, pepper spray, a wooden board and two knives, according to McCabe.
The Westfield man had a group of friends over, and that group ended up engaging in a physical fight with the three men. One of the suspects swung the baseball bat, which is what started the fight, McCabe said.
The three men were outnumbered by the group of Westfield men, McCabe said, and attempted to flee, but not before one of the suspects pulled out a knife and cut two of the Westfield men, McCabe said, but the lacerations and witness statements indicate that the knife was used strictly in self-defense.
The three men were treated at Baystate Noble Hospital for various “bumps, bruises and contusions,” said McCabe, and two Westfield men were treated at the same hospital for stab wounds. Officers had to keep peace at the hospital since the men continued to yell at each other from their rooms.
While assault charges are pending, McCabe said, Westfield police do not plan to file assault and battery charges since the knife was used for self defense. Likewise, the man who swung the baseball bat swung and missed, so he may be charged with assault with a dangerous weapon but not charged with assault and battery since he didn’t injure anyone with the bat.
This story will be updated when more information becomes available.
Staff Writer Christine Charnosky can be reached at [email protected]
Follow her on Twitter @charnoskyWNG
