Tommy Burciaga, 33

Tommy Burciaga, a 33-year-old Latino, was fatally stabbed on Tuesday, Feb. 18, near the corner of Beverly Boulevard and Gerhart Avenue in East Los Angeles, according to Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner records. 

Burciaga, a resident of Whittier, was hanging out near a bus stop around 10:15 p.m. with the mother of his children when two men rode up on bicycles, said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Lt. Derrick Alfred. 

"They  knew each other from somewhere and they got into it," Alfred said. The three men began arguing, he said, and Burciaga challenged them to a fight. 

Witnesses, including one who took video of the incident on his phone, said one of the men pulled out a knife to try to stop the fight, Alfred said, but Burciaga insisted on fighting anyway.

 "He brought fists to a knife fight," Alfred said, "and the suspect stabbed him in the torso several times." 

Burciaga was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 11:26 p.m. The cause of death is listed as multiple sharp force injuries, according to coroner records. 

The suspect, a 46-year-old Latino, was arrested on suspicion of murder two days later at a Pico Rivera motel, Alfred said. He was booked into jail in lieu of $2 million bail. 

The Los Angeles County district attorney's office on Feb 24 declined to file charges against the man because the evidence indicated he acted in self-defense, Alfred said. The prosecutor also did not file charges against the other man who joined in the fight because he was trying to help his friend, Alfred said.  

Anyone with information is asked to call the sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500. Those wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Contact the Homicide Report. Follow @latimeshomicide on Twitter.