A Huntington Beach man has been charged with murder in connection to Sunday’s deadly stabbing at Dave’s Hot Chicken in Belmont Shore.
Brandon Nguyen, 29, made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon since being arrested on suspicion of stabbing 20-year-old Adrian Hernandez to death. Nguyen faces one count of murder and an additional allegation that he used a weapon in the commission of the crime. He has yet to enter a plea.
Authorities allege Nguyen fatally stabbed Hernandez during a fight inside Dave’s Hot Chicken on Second Street in the early hours of Sunday morning.
It’s not yet clear what started the fight, but a witness who asked not to be named told the Long Beach Post that Hernandez was with a group of people who had ordered food at the restaurant shortly before the brawl. After ordering, Hernandez and the group went outside to wait, the witness said.
Then, for some unknown reason, an argument broke out between Hernandez’s group and another group, the witness said.
A Dave’s Hot Chicken employee helped de-escalate the argument, the witness said, and Hernandez’s group returned to the restaurant while the second group appeared to leave. But as Hernandez’s group sat back down inside while joking and laughing, the second group returned and attacked them, the witness said.
The Post reviewed a video of the brawl in which people can be seen throwing punches, chairs and food. A few moments later, Hernandez can be seen bleeding profusely from his upper chest area after another man lunged at him.
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After Hernandez collapsed near the restaurant’s entrance, an employee began giving him CPR, and police soon arrived to take over, according to the witness. Hernandez ultimately died at a local hospital, police said.
The suspected killer fled the scene before officers arrived, according to authorities. Police said detectives used security camera footage and worked with business and community partners to identify Nguyen as the person who fatally stabbed Hernandez.
Nguyen was found at LAX airport and taken into custody on Monday, according to police, who said it’s not yet clear whether the 29-year-old was trying to leave the country.
A judge set Nguyen’s bail at $2.02 million, and he remains in custody.
Meanwhile, Hernandez’s family, who described the 20-year-old as a “beacon of light” with “boundless love,” have started a fundraiser to help pay for funeral costs. It has raised $14,565 out of the $25,000 goal as of Wednesday afternoon.