A man was stabbed for wearing the wrong colors.

[Lucinda F. Boyd]

COLORADO SPRING - A gang related stabbing happened on Saturday night. The victim was stabbed in the 2600 block of East Yampa. According to police, the man was stabbed for wearing the wrong colors. He drove himself to Memorial Hospital with life threatening injuries. Police say gang violence is increasing, but not necessarily the number of gangs in the city.

One local church is hoping to reduce gang violence. Victory World Outreach runs a program called Breakaway. Alvin Sanchez is a sponsor with Breakaway and said it is what helped turn his life around. "We just hit rock bottom," he said, after his break up with his then girlfriend and the two had an 11 month old. He decided he needed help turning his life around. The program is faith based. Each member gets a sponsor who helps them walk away from of a life on the streets.

The members are court ordered to attend. If they don't show up they are sent back to prison. Founder of the program Richard Marshall said, "I think it works because of God." Breakaway started at Victory World Outreach in 1997. 250 people attend the program every Friday night. They have 60 sponsors who show up to help members of breakaway stay off the streets.

Pastor Marshall says more Breakaway programs will be starting across the U.S. in the near future.