Youth Arrested in Racial Attack in Ventura : Violence: Hospitalized African American stabbing victim says he’s not angry, but wants community to know what happened.

A teen-ager described by police as a “white supremacist” in his beliefs and appearance has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a reggae musician during a racial attack near the Ventura Pier, authorities said Wednesday.

The 17-year-old boy, whose name was withheld because of his age, is accused of shouting racial epithets at Leonard Boles on Monday night, then plunging a knife into his stomach during a struggle. Four other teen-agers were involved in the incident, police said.

Ventura Police Sgt. Bob Anderson said the youth has a criminal record, but does not have a history of committing violent crimes. The department’s files on suspected gang members list the teen-ager as an “associate” of a white supremacist group centered in Ventura’s Pierpont neighborhood.

“He’s a young male . . . who goes from house to house, friend to friend, looking for a handout, a place to stay, because he’s had numerous scrapes with the law,” Anderson said.

Prior to his arrest, the youth was wanted by authorities for running away from a Ventura County group home in early January. He had been ordered to live there as part of his probation for an earlier crime, Anderson said.

Boles, meanwhile, is recovering from his wound at Ventura County Medical Center where he is listed in fair condition.

Speaking from a wheelchair in the hospital’s lobby, with an intravenous tube attached to his hand, Boles, 37, said Wednesday that he is not angry with his attackers but wants the community to know what happened.

“I feel like it’s my obligation to let people know what’s going on,” he said. “I don’t choose to be angry with anyone . . . that’s not the way I am.”

Wiping his forehead in obvious discomfort, Boles said he still feels feverish, achy and dizzy at times, though medication has dulled the pain in his side.

“Miraculously enough, I don’t think any of my vital organs were punctured,” he said. “I could be dead. I was very lucky.”

Boles said he did not know when he would be released or when he might resume playing guitar with his band, Conscious Souls.

The incident occurred about 9 p.m. Monday as Boles and a friend, 21-year-old Jamie Thompson, were sitting on some swings near the pier on Harbor Boulevard. “We were just talking about how nice it is to live in Ventura,” he said.

A group of five teen-agers--three girls and two boys--approached Boles and Thompson and began talking about “white power” and saying, “ ‘We run Ventura’ and ‘You shouldn’t be in Ventura,’ ” said the musician, who is African American.

After first ignoring the harassment, Boles said, he walked away and was followed by the two boys. When he stopped, both boys attacked Boles, who fought back. During the struggle, one of the teen-agers pulled out a knife and jabbed Boles in the stomach.

The three girls and one of the male suspects were questioned that night by police and released. The alleged stabber, however, could not be found.

The 17-year-old was arrested at 10:15 p.m. Tuesday after officers spotted him, by chance, in a car stopped at a traffic light in east Ventura.

Officers then followed the car onto California 126, stopping it east of Kimball Road. The driver, the 17-year-old suspect and three other passengers were ordered out at gunpoint and searched.

Inside the car, officers found the folding knife believed to have been used in the attack. The 17-year-old was then booked into Ventura County’s juvenile hall.

Detectives plan to take their case to the district attorney’s office today, which will make a decision on filing charges.

In addition to facing a possible charge of assault with a deadly weapon, the 17-year-old could be charged with committing a felony because of a person’s race, police said.