2 fatally stabbed outside Southern California desert hotel

PALM DESERT, Calif. (AP) — Two people were fatally stabbed outside a Southern California desert hotel early Friday and a third person was hospitalized, authorities said.

Initial reports had few details of what happened and who was involved in the violence at a SpringHill Suites by Marriott in Palm Desert, about 110 miles east of Los Angeles.

Deputies responded at 6:55 a.m. to a report of a dispute involving a man with a knife and found that three people had been stabbed, said Riverside County sheriff’s Sgt. Edward Soto, a department spokesperson.

Firefighters pronounced two people dead at the scene and the third person was taken to a hospital in unknown condition, Soto said.

Soto said it was not known if the suspect was one of those three people or had fled. There was also no information on the sexes or ages of those involved or their relationship to each other.

TV station KESQ posted photos showing police tape blocking of part of a parking lot.