KITCHENER -- Waterloo regional police are investigating a stabbing that occurred near Old Cottage Place in Kitchener on Thursday.

Around 10:35 p.m., police say they responded to a disturbance in a bush area off of Old Cottage Place where they located a male youth suffering from stab wounds.

The male was transported to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Friday afternoon, police said the youth has since been released from hospital.

Police say several hundred youths attended a large party in the natural area and fled when police arrived.

"It was pretty clear they were intoxicated," said area resident Logan Hurst. "This one kid came out on a stretcher and an ambulance, fire truck showed up."

Hurst said large parties like on the one on July 1 happen often in the area, adding they aren't safe amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"These kids come out every Friday, Saturday because I can hear them through my bedroom window," he said.

"You could see it on the kids when they were coming out, they were certainly shaken from what they had seen," said Franklin Kains who lives nearby.

Kains added the teens also left behind hundreds of tossed cans and bottles for others to clean up.

"I do have some sympathy for young people, but they certainly left a mess," he said.

The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers.

Officials are also reminding the community to adhere to current outdoor gathering restrictions.