The three began walking toward their car when a group of four males ran past them, who were joined by another six men. They began making hand signs and shouting "MS-13." Herrera, according to charging documents, said he put his hands up and said he was not part of a gang and did not want any problems. The 10 males began punching and kicking him.

Herrera said he observed one man identified as Jose Hernandez, armed with a knife as the group turned their attention to Ortiz and Santos. When the males fled the area, it was discovered that Ortiz had been stabbed 10 times, seven times to the right arm, twice to the right side and once to the left shoulder. Santos was also stabbed once in the back. 

Police said they located four suspects fleeing the scene and arrested Luis Menendez-Mata, Luis Morales, Antonio Ventura, and Vladimir Douglas. Hernandez was later identified through a photo array, as was Mitchel Estrella. 

Court records show that all charges were dropped against Menendez-Mata, while Estrella shows up as a co-defendant but I can't see the status of his individual case. 

Only Hernandez is being prosecuted under the gang legislation, on charges of gang association and participation in addition to assault and attempted first-degree murder. His defense attorney? Del. Luiz R.S. Simmons, a Democrat from Montgomery County who sits on the oft-criticized judiciary committee. 

Officially known as Mara Salvatrucha, MS-13 has long had a prominent and violent foothold in the Washington suburbs. A 2007 indictment made it clear that the gang's activity has spread throughout the Baltimore region, though major cases appear to have been brought in Howard and Baltimore counties, not the city. The defendants charged in this Iguana case all hail from the Hyattsville, Rockville, and Riverdale areas, so this hardly suggests an uptick in local presence.