SWAT officers help search for assailants after stabbing

A stabbing in El Cajon prompted a response by SWAT officers, who helped search for the assailant but came up empty early Monday, police said.

The victim was stabbed about 8 p.m. Sunday on a sidewalk on El Cajon Boulevard near Palm Avenue during an argument with three men, police said.

Lt. Randy Soulard said the argument may have started after the victim refused to turn down music he had been listening to on his phone.

The victim told police one of the men stabbed him with a knife. All three then ran away. One of them ran into a nearby building.

The victim walked to his home and called 911. Paramedics took him to a hospital where he was being treated for wounds that were not considered life-threatening, Soulard said.

When officers went to check out the building the suspect ran to, there was no response. Detectives got a search warrant and called in SWAT officers to help serve the warrant.

The assailants were not located. Anyone with information was encouraged to call the El Cajon Police Department at (619) 579-3311 or contact San Diego County Crime Stoppers at info@sdcrimestoppers.org.