A Maryland father was brutally beaten to death outside his home while protecting his children from a group of teens and adults over a fight that started at school. Christopher Michael Wright, 43, of Anne Arundel County, was killed while protecting his children from a fight that started Friday at Brooklyn Park Middle School.
Wright was outside his house on Friday when he was approached by three teenagers and two adults who were looking for his fiancée's 14-year-old son, who had gotten into a fight with another teen at his school earlier in the day, according to WBAL-TV. An argument started and it took a wild turn ending in Wright's brutal murder.
Died While Saving His Son
Police said the men went to Wright's home on Arundel Road West in Brooklyn Friday to finish the fight that started in the school.
Wright came out of his house and when confronted by the teens and adults, he told them that the boy would not walk outside to fight. The group then told him, "If he's not going to fight, then you're going to fight," Tracy Karopchinsky, Wright's fiancée, told the publication.
The group then attacked Wright, who was then rushed to a local hospital, where he later died on Saturday from a traumatic brain injury.
Wright's family told WJZ he was beaten as retaliation for the earlier incident.
"Just looking at the damage that was done to him, that wasn't just punching that did that. Like, there's no way that punching did that. The damage was done before the ambulance ever took him away. I mean, he'd had a seizure. It was done. There was nothing that the hospital could do," Karopchinsky said.
The fatal attack was caught on the surveillance camera. All three of Karopchinsky's children were present at the home at that time.
"My dad and I tried to go onto the camera to look, and the first video that comes up is my 12-year-old son screaming, 'Daddy, daddy, daddy,' and running out of the house into the street to go help his dad," Karopchinsky said.
"And, I couldn't watch anymore after that. I just couldn't," she added.
Small Issue Turns Wild
According to WBAL-TV, school officials have acknowledged the brawl that took place there and have stated that they are now working with the Anne Arundel County police to assist with their investigation.
At this moment, no one connected with the incident is facing any charges.
Karopchinsky said that parents must accept responsibility for what she sees as widespread violence among youngsters.
"They didn't just ruin our lives. Their lives are going to be changed forever. Their parents' lives are going to be changed forever, and nobody thinks about that just from a fight," Karopchinsky said. "It is everywhere, and somewhere, we as parents are failing these children as parents. It's not the school's responsibility. It's our responsibility."
Karopchinsky had been dating Wright for five years and had been engaged for eight, WJZ reported. She said "the world lost a light" when Wright died.
Karopchinsky revealed to WJZ that she and Wright initially worked together.
However, their relationship soon developed into much more. Karopchinsky claimed that they developed a family together and frequently discussed getting married.
"Chris wanted a big, beautiful church wedding with everybody there," she said. "And I was the type of person like, well we've never been to Vegas. I thought we had time."
"He was a friend to everybody," Karopchinsky said. "I mean, just the outpour we've been getting from friends and just, they're really, really gonna miss out on somebody with a really big heart. He loved beyond."
She referred to Wright as her best friend and described him as a loving father who enjoyed gardening and stargazing. She said that a candlelight vigil had been organized in his honor.
