Man Stabbed in Harvard Square During Saturday Night Violence

In one of several incidents in Harvard Square Saturday night, a man was stabbed in the cheek during what witnesses say was a conflict between area youths.

Cambridge Police said yesterday that Frank Gavin, whose age and address were unavailable, was stabbed by a Black male at about 8:45 p.m. near the MBTA station and the Holyoke Center plaza.

Gavin was given stitches for the facial wound at Cambridge City Hospital and released after treatment, a hospital spokesman said.

City police said they had not made any arrests in the stabbing and that an investigation would continue. They refused to detail the incident.

But according to witnesses and participants, the stabbing occurred during what they described as an outbreak of violence between a group of youths from Cambridge's Jefferson Park Project and several young people who said they routinely congregate around the subway entrance.

Several participants in the conflict, who refused to give their names, said that a total of about 25 people were involved. The participants said that members of both groups used canes, chains, and knives in six separate melees.

Conflicting Reports

Police, however, recorded only two incidents: the stabbing, and a 1:30 a.m. fight in which 15 white males allegedly sparred with four other men, one of whom police said called them after having his windshield broken.

Police said Dennis O'Connor, of Massapequa, N.Y., called to report that one or more members of the group of 15 broke the windshield of his 1985 Nissan, which was parked near the intersection of Garden St. and Mass. Ave.

Witnesses said the window was broken by a thrown skateboard.

Cambridge police said they had not arrested anyone in connection with the incident.

No Harvard students were involved in either the conflict surrounding the stabbing or the window-breaking, but Harvard Police assisted in quelling the disturbances