North Carolina police were so intent on pepper-spraying a brawl that they failed to help the US Marine bleeding out

A US Marine tragically died after a massive brawl in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, and now the responding police officers are under scrutiny over how they handled the situation. Lance Corporal Daniel Montano, just 21 years old, was one of two people stabbed during the fight.

Footage from the scene, which has been circulating online, shows a chaotic street brawl with multiple men fighting. When Wilmington police arrived, they used pepper spray to try to break up the melee. However, the video then pans to Montano, hunched over on the sidewalk with a pool of blood at his feet. He’s desperately pointing to his neck, clearly in distress.

Per the NY Post, what really caught people’s attention is the next bit. While officers were trying to figure out what to do, a quick-thinking bystander rushed over, took off his shirt, and wrapped it around Montano’s neck to apply pressure. Both stabbing victims were then rushed to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries, but sadly, Montano didn’t make it.

This is just heartbreaking

Montano was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Regiment at Camp Lejeune, and hailed from San Bernardino, California. His sister, Evelyn Montano, shared on a fundraiser page that he was incredibly dedicated to his country and deeply loved by his family. She said he was someone who brought so much light into their lives. 

Downtown Wilmington, which is only about 70 miles from Camp Lejeune, is a spot often visited by Marines stationed at the base. The Wilmington Police Department has faced a lot of criticism for its initial response to the attack, and then the lack of response in helping Montano.

Wilmington Police Chief Ryan Zuidema has stepped up to defend his officers, saying they acted appropriately considering the circumstances. He insists that the 41-second clip doesn’t show the full picture of what was happening. Zuidema explained that officers arriving on a chaotic scene like that have no idea who is a suspect and who is a victim; they just see people fighting. 

He also mentioned that one officer was dealing with the effects of the pepper spray, which can be pretty disorienting. Another officer was reportedly putting on gloves, which is standard protocol before dealing with a bleeding victim, and then grabbing his radio to call for an ambulance. 

Zuidema stressed that officers were still assessing the situation, not knowing if there were other victims or if the suspect was still nearby. He believes the officers did the best they could. However, following standard procedure, the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave, while the case is under investigation. 

Police have also released photos of a “person of interest” in the case. He’s described as a man with dreadlocks, wearing a denim jacket, denim jeans, a pink T-shirt, and white shoes with blue and red accents. Stabbings can be pretty horrifying, with one recent case being attributed to a demon stalking, and another being triggered by finger-pointing.