CHANDLER, AZ -In Chandler, Arizona, a violent bar altercation turned into a fatal stabbing. The fight has recently claimed the life of one of the men involved. In the early hours of Wednesday, October 4, Chandler police responded to an incident near Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard.
Initially, officers were summoned to attend to a severely intoxicated 21-year-old man who had lost consciousness. However, amidst their efforts, their attention was drawn to a confrontation between two individuals, both seemingly embroiled in a heated exchange. According to court documents, one of the officers present at the scene heard whispers of possible gang involvement.
Surveillance footage captured the two men locked in a verbal duel, peppered with moments of physical closeness. At a certain juncture, one of the combatants fled the scene, leaving the other, identified as Gabriel White, bleeding profusely from a neck wound.
White’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and on October 8, he was declared brain-dead, marking a heart-wrenching loss that was officially confirmed by Chandler police on October 11.
Isiah Morse, the alleged assailant, faced pursuit by law enforcement and was subsequently apprehended. Court documents unveiled Morse’s assertion that he had felt threatened by White, which he cited as the catalyst for the stabbing. Expressing remorse, Morse repeatedly voiced his belief that he had overreacted and could have diffused the situation differently.
In the wake of this tragedy, Matthew Placencia, White’s closest friend, painted a picture of a non-confrontational individual who typically sought peaceful resolutions. Placencia expressed his sorrow and anger at Morse for ending his friend’s life.
Initially held on aggravated assault charges, Isiah Morse now faces the graver charge of first-degree murder, as confirmed by Chandler PD.