Suspect on Fatal Bar Stabbing of 2 Arrested} Couple Victims Died
This incident was in 2016. What makes it news again is that the suspect killer has been apprehended.
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| An image of the stabbing victims Christopher Finley and Jacob Touchstone. |
It has been very hard to get facts on this incident which was triggered by a fight between three guys outside the mineshaft in Long Beach, California. A fight when alcohol is involved is not out of this
world but when weapons are used to kill another human being it has to stop, in this case, two lost their lives. Unfortinedly gays are not better than anyone else. We have our share of what the straight world is
because we are part of that world.
Unfortuedly three days after this guy's alleged victims died this California a suspect in connection with a stabbing at a Long Beach gay bar has been arrested. So if this guy is guilty that makes three and that is disturbing. This guy might not even be gay (I believe he is not) But looking for gays. There is another part of this killing that bothers me. The cops at the scene of the fight said the wounds on the victim were not life-threatening. The victims were a couple on a date. The killer was there looking for something but I doubt it was just a date. The killer butchered the couple by stabbing them in the chest on both. Sounds like a real butcher with experience.
I don't know what happened afterward whether the victim was sent to the hospital for treatment or just put in a cab home. The fact is that 8 hours later this 28-year-old gay man was dead. Just like his partner was also dead. It is said the police acted like medical personnel by saying his injury did not look bad.
I was able to get the info below from the Advocate BY CHRISTOPHER WIGGINS
Local police arrested Michael Smalls, 56, on Tuesday, according to a new news release.
Smalls has been accused of stabbing Christopher Finley, 28, to death at the Mineshaft bar on Friday night.
Finley was killed after he and another man had an argument with Smalls outside of the bar, according to police. The altercation got physical, police said, before Smalls pulled out a knife and stabbed the two in the upper body.
Finley died about eight hours after medical personnel took him to the hospital despite initial police reports that his injuries were not life-threatening.
A verified GoFundMe revealed that the other victim was Finley's partner, identified as Jacob Touchstone.
Authorities said the couple was involved in an altercation with a taser-wielding man outside the bar before the altercation with Smalls. That man was detained by police on an unrelated charge.
The man with the taser had reportedly been threatening patrons at the bar, according to local TV station KTLA. Finley and Touchstone intervened. However, Smalls stopped at the bar on his bicycle, and, after arguing with them, allegedly pulled the knife.
After the stabbings, Smalls fled on a bicycle.
Smalls is being held on $2 million bail, facing murder and attempted murder charges. Police believe the stabbings were not a hate-motivated attack.
The GoFundMe page established to help Touchstone with medical bills as well as expenses related to Finley's funeral costs has collected nearly $35,000.
According to the GoFundMe page, the couple had gone out for a date night and had ended up at the Mineshaft for a nightcap. The couple had been together since 2016.
Those with information about the case can anonymously report it at LACrimestoppers.org or by calling 562-570-7244.
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