A North Carolina maniac was arrested Friday after allegedly stabbing a US Marine to death during a massive caught-on-camera street brawl that put local cops under heavy scrutiny, authorities said.
Davy Spencer, 47, was slapped with charges of second-degree murder and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill after fatally knifing 21-year-old Daniel Montano when a large fight erupted in downtown Wilmington around 2 a.m. last Sunday, according to the Wilmington Police Department.
Montano, a lance corporal stationed at Camp Lejeune about 70 miles away, was one of two stabbed.
The department came under fire for its response to the deadly melee after disturbing footage surfaced online showing the slain Marine hunched over in a pool of blood as cops tried to break up the fight.
The viral clip showed multiple men brawling in the street as Wilmington cops arrived and pepper-sprayed them – but seconds later, the camera cuts to the sidewalk, where a dying Montano is seen slumped over desperately pointing to his neck as officers rush over to help.
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.
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