A member of the Cerritos College track and field team, was stabbed at a birthday party and later pronounced dead at a Pico Rivera hospital early Sunday morning.

The student took part in a fight between 10 to 15 gang members and party goers, who refused the gang members’ entry which resulted in his death and shots being fired.

The student was taken to Los Angeles County + University of Southern California Medical Center and later identified as Jose Ramos Jr., according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office.

He is the only reported casualty in the first homicide of 2011 for the 8-mile town of Pico Rivera, according to the Los Angeles Times Homicide Report.

“Gangsters try to have their way,” a friend of the college student who was at the party said.

According to the coroner’s office, it will take three to four days for an autopsy to be conducted

Ramos, who lived in Pico Rivera, went to El Rancho high school where he played foot ball and was a member of the track team.

“He was funny, warm hearted. He was a big guy, but I mean he was actually really nice if you actually got to know him and always had a big smile that was really contagious,” former high school Track and Foot ball teammate Jefferson Colindres said.

After graduating from El Rancho he enrolled into Cerritos College in the fall and began going to workouts for track.

Jose planned on trying out for the football team after he felt he was strong enough from the upcoming track season.

Many of Jose’s peers sadden by news of his departure have nothing but kind words toward him.