A 17-year-old boy ended up in the hospital following a case of street violence involving minors in Iloilo City.

The victim, while walking on the road with his girlfriend in Barangay Zamora-Melliza, was attacked by three minors and an 18-year-old man.

He was stabbed by the suspects and sustained wounds his chest and stomach.

His girlfriend was brave enough to pull the suspects away from her boyfriend.

“Matapang ang kasintahan ng biktima. Nahila niya at nagpambuno sila. ‘Yun ‘yung delikado kasi mahaba ang kanyang (suspek) kutsilyo,” said Capt. Melchor Tolentino, Officer-in-charge of the Iloilo City Police Station 1.

This led to the police arresting a 15-year-old suspect.

Police would arrest later the 18-year-old suspect and the other two minor suspects, both 16 years old.

One of the 16-year-old suspects even sustained a stab wound, as he was believed to have been hit accidentally during the attack.

Authorities said two of the suspects are cousins and have derogatory records in the barangay.

“Meron pero hindi ko ma-disclose kasi confidential. Meron rin silang kaguluhan at curfew for minors,” said Lloyd John Abadiano, captain of Barangay Zamora-Melliza.

But what may perhaps be the more unfortunate disclosure is that the suspects told the police they might just have mistaken the victim as the one who challenged them to a fight online.

Still, the police said it is also possible that the suspects, indeed, targeted the victim.

“Binantayan talaga kasi nakita nating nakahanda sila. Meron silang mga kutsilyong dala. Wala naman silang away. Tripping ang tinitingnan natin,” Tolentino said.

The minor suspects have been placed under the custody of the Women and Children Protection Desk of the city police office while the 18-year-old suspect was turned over to the Police Station 1. They are facing frustrated homicide charges.

As of this writing, the victim is in stable condition at the hospital.