CHANDLER, AZ — A man has died after he was stabbed during a fight at a bar in downtown Chandler recently.
Chandler police say they were called to the area of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard in the early morning hours of Wednesday, October 4 for reports of a 21-year-old man who was very intoxicated and lost consciousness.
When officers arrived and were tending to the 21-year-old, officers noticed two men who appeared to be arguing. According to court documents, an officer overheard some phrases that refer to gang affiliation.
Court documents say the men could be seen in surveillance video and body language indicated that they were arguing, but embraces were initiated by both men multiple times.
At some point, one of the men involved in the argument ran away, court documents say. Officers saw that the other man involved, identified as Gabriel White, was bleeding heavily from the neck.
White was taken to the hospital in critical condition. Court documents say that he was formally declared brain-dead on October 8.
Chandler police confirmed Wednesday, October 11 that White had died from his injuries.
Police chased after the man who allegedly stabbed the victim and was ultimately taken into custody.
Court documents say he felt threatened by White and that is what prompted the stabbing. He also told investigators "several times" that he felt he had overreacted and could have struck White instead of stabbing him or that he could have disengaged from the situation.
ABC15 spoke with White's best friend, Matthew Placencia.
"He's not the type of person who just gets in a fight. He normally talks and lets people know I don't want to fight you, this is nonsense and walks away," said Placencia. "He took what could have been just a shake of hand with a hug to his worst outcome ever. I don't forgive him. He took my brother."
The incident remains under investigation.
Isiah Morse was arrested and initially booked into jail on aggravated assault charges, but the charge has been resubmitted to the Maricopa County Attorney's Office for first degree murder, Chandler PD announced.
