“He was laying down full of blood,” Lupe Maynez of West El Paso said of the victim. “He was struggling, he was saying he couldn't breathe.”

“It looked like he was dead because he was there with this eyes open,” said a teenager identified only as Chris. “Blood was gushing out. His mom was yelling, ‘Mijo don't die,’ “ he said.

Chris said he saw when three others men wrestled his 16-year old friend and the teen's brother to the ground. Many people who live at the apartments said the area is plagued by gangs and fights.

“This is the baddest thing I've seen so far...but yeah, almost every weekend there's going to be someone that fights,” Maynez said.

Witnesses said the two men who instigated the fight, came out shouting gang names. They threw rocks at the victim and his brother and that's when witnesses report the victim and his brother went after the other three men with a baseball bat.

“One of the guys was going to stab him in the stomach,” Chris said. “He moved back and lifted his leg up to protect himself and he stabbed him in the leg.”

While many people rushed to help the 16-year old, one neighbor tied a belt around the victim's leg to stop the bleeding until paramedics arrived.

“He stood up for about a minute then he fell,” Chris said. “We were trying to help with telling him, ‘Don't go to sleep wake up!’ “

Even though residents said fights happen often at the apartment complex, those who live here said they never get used to it.

“It doesn't scare me,” Chris said. “It worries me about my family.”

The victim underwent surgery Wednesday morning. He is said to be in stable condition.

Police haven't said if this is gang related. They said they believed the attackers live in the area behind Morehead Middle School. They said they were looking for three bald Hispanic men, about 5 feet 7 inches tall. One was last seen wearing a black jersey, another a blue and white striped shirt, and the third one, a white shirt. Police said if you know who the men might be, to call Crimestoppers at 566-8477.