Two men injured in knife fight at youth football game on West Side

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Two men were stabbed during a knife fight today between 1:30 and 2 p.m. in the parking lot in front of Kirkmere Elementary School and across the school entryway from teams from the United Youth Football League for players age 6 to 13 were having games.

The two men involved ran off but later were transported to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital.

Several witnesses, none of whom wished to be identified, said the men, who they say are not connected to the UYFL, got into a fight at the concession stand. Kirkmere is on Kirk Road just off Schenley Avenue.

The fight moved across the school entryway to the parking lot where the stabbings occurred out of sight of most of the football players, a witness said.

One UYFL official said he looked up, saw what was happening in the parking lot, and said “Oh, damn,” and rushed over to keep the children away.

“It’s a shame kids have to go through this,” another witness said. The games were canceled for the day.

The victims reportedly were taken to St. Elizabeth Youngstown Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.