A 21-year-old U.S. Marine was killed in a stabbing during a large street fight in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina, early Saturday morning, prompting an ongoing investigation and scrutiny of the police response after video of the incident spread online, as reported by The New York Post.

Daniel Montano, a lance corporal assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marines Regiment at Camp Lejeune, died after he was one of two individuals stabbed during the altercation, according to the Wilmington Police Department.

The fight broke out just after 2 a.m. Saturday in the downtown area, located about 70 miles from the Marine Corps base.

A U.S. Marine is dead after a brutal street fight — and the police response on scene is now under fire.

21-year-old Lance Corporal Daniel Montano was stabbed to death after a large brawl broke out on the streets of Wilmington, North Carolina. Responding officers are facing… pic.twitter.com/YCHBShkJNY — Fox News (@FoxNews) April 9, 2026

Video circulating on social media shows multiple men fighting in the street when officers arrived on the scene. Police used pepper spray in an effort to break up the fight.

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Moments later, the footage shows Montano on the sidewalk, hunched over with blood visible at his feet, pointing toward his neck as officers moved in to assist.

A bystander is seen approaching Montano, removing his shirt and wrapping it around the victim’s neck in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

21-year-old dies in downtown Wilmington stabbing, police seek tips...

Horrible footage (see attached video to this post/tweet) has emerged from Wilmington, North Carolina (NC), where three people were stabbed downtown. One of the victims was a 21-year-old U.S. Marine, who… pic.twitter.com/aPjYfghyXM — Leanne (@LeanneSpurs) April 8, 2026

Authorities said both stabbing victims were transported to Novant New Hanover Regional Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Montano later died from his injuries.

Montano was from San Bernardino, California. His sister, Evelyn Montano, described him in a message posted to a fundraiser page established to help cover funeral and memorial costs.

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“He was not only dedicated to his country, but also deeply loved by his family. To us, he was more than a Marine — he was a son, a brother, and someone who brought so much light into our lives,” she wrote.

“Thank you for keeping our family in your thoughts and prayers as we navigate this unimaginable loss.”

Wilmington police have released images of a person of interest in the case. The individual is described as a man with dreadlocks wearing a denim jacket, denim jeans, a pink T-shirt, and white shoes with blue and red accents.

Authorities are asking anyone with information to come forward as the investigation continues.

The incident has also led to questions about how officers responded after arriving at the scene.

The Wilmington Police Department has faced criticism following the release of the 41-second video, which some viewers say appears to show a delay in providing aid.

Wilmington Police Chief Ryan Zuidema addressed those concerns, stating that the video does not fully capture the situation officers encountered.

“They have no idea who is who,” Zuidema said.

“They don’t know who’s a suspect, who’s a victim. They just know there’s people fighting in the street.”

Zuidema explained that one officer was affected by the pepper spray used during the incident, while another was following standard procedure by putting on gloves before assisting a bleeding victim and using a radio to request emergency medical services.

He also noted that officers were still evaluating potential threats in the area.

“They don’t know if there are other victims around. They don’t know if the suspect is still close by, and there’s a lot going on,” Zuidema said.

“I understand what the concerns are, but I can tell you that the officers did certainly the best they could under the circumstances.”

According to Star News Online, the officers involved have been placed on paid administrative leave while the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation conducts an independent review of the case.

A U.S. Marine has been identified as the victim in a deadly stabbing in Wilmington, NC. 2nd Marine Division 21-year-old Daniel Montano was stabbed in the neck during an altercation around 2 a.m. and later died from his injuries. Two pic.twitter.com/igJs8zGPZI

— Notinregs (@notinregs) April 8, 2026

The Wilmington Police Department has not released additional details as the investigation remains ongoing.

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