Two men have been charged with murder in the downtown Santa Barbara stabbing death of Anthony Michael Bisquera Hartley last week. 

Santa Barbara Police said Bisquera Hartley, 30, was killed and two other people were wounded in the stabbings, which were reported at about 12:20 a.m. Friday on the 500 block of State Street.

Investigators said the stabbings occurred after a fight broke out, and that the individuals involved may have known each other. 

Police also called it “an isolated act of violence” and said “there is no indication of an ongoing threat to the public.”

They arrested three Santa Barbara men as suspects.

The Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office on Tuesday charged Sergio Rivas, 30, and Juan Fernando Rios, 28, with murder, personally using a knife, and committing the murder to benefit a criminal street gang. 

Rivas is charged with assault with a deadly weapon and causing great bodily injury to another person, identified in the criminal complaint as J. Ramos. 

Rivas also faces allegations of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a loaded firearm in public, and possession of a loaded firearm while being in possession of cocaine, according to the District Attorney’s Office. 

Rios is also charged with committing a felony while out on bail for a felony offense, and has firearms-related charges related to a July arrest, according to the District Attorney’s Office. 

Rivas and Rios are accused of being associated with the Eastside criminal street gang of Santa Barbara.

Luis Gerargo Terrazas, 29, was charged with the attempted murder of Rivas, according to the District Attorney’s Office. He also faces special allegations of committing the crime to benefit a criminal street gang and personally using a knife. 

Terrazas is accused of being associated with the Westside criminal street gang of Santa Barbara, according to the criminal complaint.

The three defendants appeared Tuesday before Santa Barbara Superior Court Judge Thomas R. Adams for their arraignments, which were continued until Thursday. 

They all remained in County Jail custody Tuesday evening.

Rivas’ bail was set at $2.05 million, Rios’ bail was set at $2 million, and Terrazas’ bail was set at $1 million, according to Sheriff’s Office records. 

Family members described Bisquera Hartley as a devoted father of three and a kind, easy-going man. 

“Anthony was a devoted father of three kids,” his sister Monique LaMarca said. “He worked hard to provide for his children. He loved to read, sketch and draw, watch scary movies, and spend time with his family.”

The Santa Barbara Police Department said in a statement Tuesday that at the time of the stabbings, foot patrol officers were flagged down by a passerby who reported people fighting.  

“At the time of the report, officers were already in the process of assisting an intoxicated subject nearby but immediately broke away to respond to the stabbing. Officers observed one victim walking towards them with visible injuries to his torso,” police said.

“Other officers immediately responded to where other witnesses were pointing and located a male victim who collapsed on the ground in front of them with stab wounds to his torso. An additional victim with stab wounds to his torso was found nearby.”

The three stabbing victims were transported to Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital. 

“Detectives immediately began processing multiple crime scenes, recovering critical evidence including knives, clothing, and blood samples, while also conducting a search for additional suspects and victims. Within hours, investigators identified other involved individuals and started making arrests,” police said. 

Detectives said Terrazas was one of the injured subjects and was arrested at the hospital for his alleged involvement.