Father of 5 dies after being attacked outside bar while on a date with his wife

A father-of-five who was the victim of a "senseless beating" outside of a Fargo bar has died from his injuries.

Fargo Police Department confirmed that Joey Allan Gaarsland, 35, died at Sanford Medical Center early Friday morning, days after an attack outside Rick's Bar in the 2500 block of Main Avenue.

Gaarsland was on a date with his wife Laura on Saturday night when they were "jumped" by several people, according to a GoFundMe page set up by one of the family's relatives, Rene Onsum.

In the attack, Laura Gaarsland was knocked unconscious and suffered a broken finger, while her husband suffered a "traumatic brain injury" from which he never recovered.

WDAY reports that according to court documents, witnesses reported seeing the men repeatedly punch and kick Gaarsland while he was "obviously unconscious."

"They have five children and no income right now," Onsum told the Fargo Forum, saying the "senseless" attack has left the family "devastated."

"They were just going out for a night out, and the next thing I know, I'm receiving a message from my daughter-in-law saying that they had been jumped," she added.

The newspaper notes that Gaarsland had most recently been working as a painter for Morris Painting.

Four arrested over attack

Fargo Police have arrested four men in connection with the attack, three of whom have been charged with conspiracy to commit aggravated assault.

But police have said that these charges will be reviewed in the wake of Gaarsland's death.

Jason Oien, 33, Scott Moen, 35, and Jessy Olson, 34, all of Fargo, are the men who have been charged, while a fourth man, from Colorado, has been arrested.

All those involved in the fight knew each other, police told The Fargo Forum.