A violent incident in Beverly Hills has resulted in murder charges against 19-year-old Conoray Lawantara. The Beverly Hills Police Department arrested him following an altercation on Sunday night that ended with the death of another man.

The altercation occurred just before midnight in an alleyway on North Palm Drive, close to the city’s Golden Triangle business area. Responding officers discovered a man bleeding from neck wounds. Despite being taken to a local hospital, the man succumbed to his injuries. Authorities have not yet identified the victim.

Brigette Barbie, a resident in the area, witnessed part of the incident. After hearing sounds of distress, she found the man, who appeared homeless, bleeding heavily on the ground. Police arrived soon after and detained Lawantara. In a video recorded by Barbie, Lawantara, with blood on his hands and handcuffed, claimed he acted in self-defense. He indicated that the other man initiated the confrontation, which led him to use a 3.9-inch knife, categorized as a concealed carry weapon (CCW).

Lawantara mentioned in the video that despite his warnings, the man continued the aggression, resulting in his own injuries, including a stab wound and a bitten finger. He was later treated at a hospital.

Barbie noted that Lawantara had recently moved to the neighborhood and expressed anger towards the victim for going through the trash on Sunday evening. She described the incident as excessively violent and noted the neighborhood’s outrage over the violence.

Lawantara has not yet had his arraignment, and he remained under hospital care as of Monday evening. The Beverly Hills Police Department has not commented on Lawantara’s current status, or whether the victim was indeed homeless, or provided further details on the confrontation.