A pair of teens showed up at a Pendleton hospital early Thursday morning with stab wounds.

Hospital personnel contacted police who headed toward the hospital and noticed a car that matched the description of the vehicle that had dropped off the boys.

Officers tried stopping the car, but the vehicle refused to pull over. Eventually the car turned into a housing development and slowed considerably before four people, including the driver, bailed from the car. The vehicle crashed into a retaining wall, and officers were able to nab two of the juveniles that tried to flee.

At the hospital the injured boys, ages 14 and 15, claimed that they had been assaulted by a man in his twenties.

Officers tracked down the man believed to be involved in the altercation, and got a very different story.

Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts says a group of as many as 8 teens who are self-proclaimed gang members confronted the 25-year old man who was smoking a cigarette outside of his apartment at about 3:00 am Thursday. The teens started taunting the man, leading to a verbal argument.

Roberts says a 14-year old boy then punched the man, and the other teens joined in, punching and pushing the victim until he fell to the ground, then continued punching and kicking him.

That's when the victim pulled out at least one knife and stabbed two of the boys before he was able to flee.

"The reality of this case is, albeit it sounds fairly egregious on the front end in terms of the juveniles who appeared at the hospital with stab wounds," Roberts said, "it may very well be that they are more criminally culpable than the individual who actually did the stabbing."

Roberts said the teens could be charged with rioting, which involved a group of 5 or more engaging in tumultuous or threatening activity, in addition to simple assault. The victim may have been justified in defending himself with a deadly weapon. The Umatilla County District Attorney's Office will determine what charges will be filed.

The 15-year old teen who was stabbed in the altercation was treated for his injuries at a Pendleton hospital and released the same day. The 14-year old was taken by ambulance to OHSU in Portland. Roberts said the boy's injuries were such that he was not able to be taken by plane or helicopter.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Pendleton Police.

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