A shocking video out of Wilmington is fueling a firestorm of criticism after a young U.S. Marine was left bleeding to death while police appeared slow to act.

21-year-old Daniel Montana lost his life early Sunday morning after a violent street brawl spiraled out of control. The confrontation, which erupted in the middle of the street, quickly turned deadly when Montana and another man were stabbed.

Disturbing footage shows chaos unfolding as officers arrive and deploy pepper spray to break up the fight. But what happens next is what has Americans outraged.

The camera shifts to the sidewalk—where Montana is seen gravely wounded, pointing to his neck as blood pours out. An officer stands nearby, seemingly unsure of what to do. Seconds later, Montana collapses.

In a moment that’s now going viral, it wasn’t law enforcement but a bystander who sprang into action—pulling off his shirt and desperately trying to stop the bleeding.

Montana did not survive.

Meanwhile, the suspect—described as a Black male with dreadlocks wearing a denim jacket and jeans—remains at large.

Social media lit up almost instantly, with Americans blasting what they see as a stunning failure of basic policing and emergency response.

One user demanded answers:

“Are police not taught first aid? They just stood around gapping while a random guy on the street ran up and tried to stop him from bleeding out. Kudos to that guy.”

And perhaps the most damning critique:

“A marine was being stabbed to death and the police used pepper spray instead of justified lethal force, as the suspect got away and can kill someone else… What are we doing? This is a travesty.”

Facing mounting backlash, Wilmington Police Chief Ryan Zuidema insisted his officers were operating in a chaotic and dangerous situation.

“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.” He added: “They’re dealing with trying to assess what’s going on there. 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 also noted that some officers had been affected by the pepper spray during the incident.

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

Montana’s death comes as violent crime ticks upward in Wilmington, raising serious concerns about leadership, policing, and public safety. Local reports indicate homicides are already higher this year compared to the same period in 2025, with no clear explanation from officials about the surge.

THIS VIDEO IS GRAPHIC AND WE WERE NOT ABLE TO EMBED IT, BUT YOU CAN VIEW IT ON X:Libs of TikTok on X: “⚠️GRAPHIC⚠️ BREAKING: Daniel Montano, a 21yo U.S. Marine, was k*lled after reportedly being fatally stabbed by Black suspect who remains at large. If you have information on the suspect, contact Wilmington Police: 910-343-3686 https://t.co/atiPDtS5XK” / X