

The skateboard hung up in memory of Carlos Arellano. (Photo by Neil Fitzpatrick via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr)

A 22-year old man was stabbed and killed on Friday night in Echo Park after getting into a confrontation with three suspects over his skateboard.

The 22-year old was walking with his girlfriend on Sunset Boulevard near Laveta Terrace around 11:30 p.m. when the three suspects approached the couple, walking in the opposite direction. One of the three suspects punched the victim in the face, and the victim swung his skateboard in self-defense before being stabbed and falling to the ground, a witness told The Eastsider.

"He got shanked and fell to the floor," said the witness, who recognized the couple as regular customers at the store where he worked.

The three suspects fled north on Echo Park Avenue. The victim, who appeared to be stabbed in the stomach and may have suffered a head injury from the fall, was taken to a hospital but died of his injuries.

Authorities say the fight ensued when the victim refused to give up his skateboard to one of the suspects, according to CBS 2. Gang detectives are involved in the investigation but at this point there is no clear connection to gangs in the attack.

The streets of Echo Park were packed last night and will remain so through the weekend for the Echo Park Rising music festival, and the LAPD will have additional patrols to ensure safety for the festivalgoers.

As of Saturday afternoon, a skateboard was hung on a lamppost near the scene of the crime in memorial of the victim along with a note to the attackers, saying "Here's your fucking skateboard."

Memorial to 22-year-old man fatally stabbed in #EchoPark Friday night. Suspects may have wanted his skateboard pic.twitter.com/gfoWZPgT4I — The Eastsider (@TheEastsiderLA) August 16, 2014

Update 8/17: CBS 2 has identified the victim as 22-year old Carlos Arellano. "It's hard seeing my brother die over someone who just wanted a skateboard. That they wanted his skateboard [that badly] is ridiculous," his sister Jessica said.