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A North Carolina man was apprehended on Friday, accused of fatally stabbing a U.S. Marine in a chaotic street brawl that was captured on video and has since placed local police under intense scrutiny, officials reported.
Davy Spencer, aged 47, faces charges of second-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill, following the tragic stabbing of 21-year-old Daniel Montano. The incident unfolded amid a large-scale fight in downtown Wilmington around 2 a.m. last Sunday, as per the Wilmington Police Department.
Montano, a lance corporal based at Camp Lejeune, located approximately 70 miles from the scene, was one of two individuals who were stabbed during the altercation.
The police department faced criticism over its handling of the violent incident after alarming footage circulated online. The video showed the Marine, mortally wounded, slumped over in a pool of his own blood, while officers attempted to disperse the fighting crowd.
The widely shared clip depicted several men engaged in a street fight as Wilmington officers arrived and deployed pepper spray. Moments later, the video shifts to the sidewalk, revealing Montano in his final moments, pointing to his neck while officers hurried to provide assistance.
As cops fumbled to find a way to help him, a bystander rushed in, tore off his shirt, wrapped it around the victim’s neck, and applied pressure in a frantic attempt to stop the bleeding.
Montano, along with the other stabbing victim, was rushed to a local hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries.
The service member, a California native, was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Regiment at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, according to his devastated sister Evelyn.
“He was not only dedicated to his country, but also deeply loved by his family,” she wrote on a fundraiser page set up to help their family cover funeral and memorial costs.
“To us, he was more than a Marine – he was a son, a brother, and someone who brought so much light into our lives.”
Meanwhile, police defended their actions during the brawl, telling Star News Online they acted appropriately given the circumstances. However, the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave as the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation takes over the case.
Spencer, of Wilmington, is reportedly being held without bond.