“Some of the local youths,” said Sgt. Ken Swithenbank of the Humboldt Co. Sheriff’s Dept., “chased a crowd of transients from in front of the liquor store with makeshift clubs on Tuesday afternoon.” Swithenbank added, “Apparently more than one transient was struck, however no serious injuries were reported. None of the apparent victims wanted to give their names or officially report the incident to law enforcement.”

According to Elaine Olivas, who works in the deli of the Redway Liquor Store, the first she knew of the incident, “At least 6 or 7 initially of the traveler guys came running in to the store to call police.” She said that they claimed that a man was being beaten with a bat. She allowed them to use her phone to call for help, “As tired as I am of the homeless and I do want them run out of the town,… this was excessive. The night before there were beer bottles thrown out of vehicle and a [homeless] man got injured.”

She said that after the “traveler guys” came in to the store, the fight ‘started drawing a crowd—people started coming out of the bushes.” After the police showed up, she said, then things seemed to calm down.

But according to Swithenbank, “There was another altercation about a half hour later where one of the locals was cut on the hand. [W]ord was it was from a knife but it was never 100% verified.”

“Tensions are high,” Swithenbank says.

KMUD plans to air interviews with witnesses on tonight’s 6 P.M. newscast. According to their Facebook site, “A group of people were attacked in broad daylight in Redway yesterday, we’ll hear from people who were there and say the random attackers were targeting homeless and telling them to leave town or else!”