White man accused of repeatedly stabbing Black man, making racial slurs in Texas bar
A white Mineral Wells man is accused of making several racially offensive statements to a Black man and his wife in a bar and later repeatedly stabbing the man, Mineral Wells police said.
The 33-year-old man who suffered multiple stab wounds was taken to Palo Pinto General Hospital in Mineral Wells with non-life-threatening injuries, Mineral Wells police said.
The suspect who was arrested shortly after the Wednesday night attack was identified as Montana Amburn, 27, police said.
Amburn was in the Palo Pinto County Jail in Palo Pinto on Friday without bail. He also being held on a parole violation warrant.
He faces a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, Mineral Wells Police Chief Dean Sullivan said in a news release.
Sullivan noted the department had received several inquiries on charging Amburn with a hate crime. He quoted the Texas Penal Code, which notes “the designation of an offense being committed because of bias or prejudice is decided during the guilt/innocence phase of the criminal trial, not at the time of arrest.”
The aggravated assault charge could be enhanced to a first-degree felony if Amburn is found guilty.
Mineral Wells police responded to a large fight and the stabbing late Wednesday at Mickey’s Pub, 2201 E. Hubbard St. in Mineral Wells.
Witnesses told Mineral Wells police that Amburn used racial slurs just before management began escorting him out. An altercation ensued with the bar manager.
Once outside, Amburn is accused of continuing to berate patrons including the Black man and his wife. At some point, Amburn confronted the victim’s wife, and the suspect is accused of stabbing the victim as he intervened, Mineral Wells police said.
The suspect fled the scene.
Several witnesses provide Mineral Wells police with the name of the suspect. Amburn was later found at a residence in southeast Mineral Wells.
Amburn was found to have a head injury from the altercations at the bar, and he was taken to a local hospital where was treated and later jailed.
This story was originally published June 12, 2020 at 11:45 AM.
