22-year-old fighting for his life after being stabbed in Bishop Arts

The family of the victim says he was stabbed after trying to defend his girlfriend.

A 22-year-old man is fighting for his life, according to his family, after being stabbed over the weekend in the Bishop Arts District.

Police say they're investigating what led to the attack and surveillance video shows part of what happened.

Relatives identified the victim as Abraham “A.B.” Herrera.

“We’re desperate to hear something from somebody,” said Herrera’s aunt Brenda Trevino.

Surveillance video obtained by NBC 5 shows the moments after two groups left a Bishop Arts taco shop. There's an altercation, a woman is struck and Herrera is stabbed.

“He was basically defending his girlfriend,” Trevino said.

The video shows Herrera walking back toward the taco shop. Police arrive before he’s seen collapsing on a bench. Paramedics carry him away on a stretcher.

Five days later, Trevino says Herrera is in critical condition.

“He received one possible fatal wound, that he's still with us is a miracle, that's what we're being told by the doctors themselves,” Trevino said.

Dallas police say they responded to a stabbing call in the 500 block of N. Madison Avenue at about 1:40 a.m. Saturday and determined the victim was stabbed in the torso by an unknown suspect. Trevino says the blade pierced Herrera’s heart.

“We’re desperate for justice. He can’t speak, so he doesn’t have a voice right now. We, as his family, are his voice,” Trevino said.

She says her nephew is a big part of their family.

“He’s like my big teddy bear. He’s a sweetheart. His stature, he's a big boy, he's tall but he's got a big heart,” Trevino said.

As the family waits for answers, she says they're asking the public for help piecing together what happened.

“I'm pleading with the public, anyone that has any information, has any video, any pictures or were there and can help us out in any way to notify the DPD, the detective,” Trevino said.

Dallas police say the investigation is ongoing.