A fundraiser and vigil have been organized after Providence Police Chief Oscar Perez announced charges Saturday afternoon after a Fall River teen was stabbed to death.
According to Providence Police, a stabbing occurred shortly after midnight in the parking lot of the Wendy’s on Charles Street following an altercation at Mezza Lounge.
Two men sustained stab wounds. 18-year-old Marvins Antoine of Fall River suffered stab wounds to the chest. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital, where he was later pronounced deceased.19-year-old Kensley Macean of Dighton and a graduate of Dighton-Rehoboth High School sustained non-life-threatening injuries to the head and neck area. He was transported to Rhode Island Hospital for treatment. Both victims are football players at UMass Dartmouth.
After further investigation, 19-year-old Chukuwnonso Uzoma-eze was charged with murder.
Uzoma-eze is a UMass Dartmouth student but is not a member of the football team. Police said they identified him through witness interviews, surveillance video, and license plate readers after he left the area in a vehicle. He was arrested on the UMass Dartmouth campus and is being held pending extradition to Rhode Island.
Chief Perez said the dispute began as an altercation involving a female and some of those in line at Mezzo Lounge, which police described as overcrowded with the doors closed. The fight then moved across the street to the Wendy’s parking lot at 391 Charles Street around 12:30 a.m.
Antoine and Macean had been at the lounge with other members of the team after UMass Dartmouth’s Friday night home loss to Framingham State, 23-21. Antoine, a freshman running back who wore No. 26, had been a standout at Durfee and Atlantis Charter and was nominated last year for the Otto Graham Award.
A vigil was held on the UMass Dartmouth campus, where those gathered released balloons and chanted Antoine’s number.
Chancellor Mark Fuller issued a statement of condolence and said counseling was available, adding there was no ongoing threat to campus.
Providence’s Board of Licenses ordered Mezzo Lounge closed for 72 hours after the incident.
Authorities believe the parties did not know each other.
A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created for funeral and other expenses. Over $20,000 has been raised as of this writing.
Providence Police detectives continue to work with the UMass Dartmouth Police Department and other law enforcement partners as the investigation moves forward.
