First Time Dad-to-Be Killed During Bar Fight: 'Wanted to Be the Best Father Ever' By Samira Asma-Sadeque

An Arizona family is mourning a would-be father who was killed during a bar fight earlier this month.

Thomas John (TJ) Pizzitola was severely injured during an altercation outside a bar in Scottsdale, Ariz. on Oct. 11, the Scottsdale Police Department confirms to PEOPLE in a statement.

Authorities arrested five people on different charges on Oct. 22 in connection with his death, per the statement.

Investigators say Pizzitola, who was with two of his friends, was punched in the head during the alleged attack by four of the five suspects.

Officers responding to a medical call request found Pizzitola lying unconscious on the sidewalk; he was pronounced dead after being transported to a hospital, police said.

In a GoFundMe set up to assist with financial costs, the Pizzitola family says his now-widow Krisan Pizzitola is due to give birth to the couple’s first child in a few weeks.

Right before his killing, Thomas had messaged Krisan, saying he was proud of her, FOX 10 reported.

“I texted him that I had gotten home and he texted me back and said that he wished that I was there,” Krisan told FOX 10, “but that he was so proud of me for staying home and taking care of our baby boy and that he loved me,” Krisan said.

“That was the last text I ever got from him.”

Krisan is now mourning not only the loss of her husband, but also the father he had dreamed of being.

“All he ever wanted to be was the best father ever and the best husband,” she told FOX 10. “But he wasn’t finished.”

The fundraiser set up by Thomas’ family states the donations are requested to assist with hospital bills, final arrangement expenses and immediate and ongoing support for Krisan and their unborn baby.

Authorities arrested the five suspects, who had allegedly fled the scene, on Wednesday, Oct. 22, police said in their statement.

The suspects are Drew Meneses, 24; Julius Husser, 27; Tony Becker 26; Mark Whitford, 23; and Krista Molina, 27.

Meneses has been booked into jail on a second-degree murder charge, per Scottsdale police.

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Becker, Whitford and Husser are facing charges of aggravated assault, and Molina is facing a charge of assault and disorderly conduct, per police. Becker and Husser are each facing an additional count of assault.

Plea and attorney information for the defendants were not immediately available in online court records reviewed by PEOPLE.