Buzz Mill is an sanctuary where the broken and the beautiful collide over cheap brews and the hum of the hive. It’s church of the unwashed masses, a refuge from the gold-plated vanity of the new Austin.
Unfortunately our intern Oskar a resident of the East Riverside Neighborhood happened to be 6 feet away from the brutal encounter the following is his account- Ellis Jones
6 Feet From A Stabbing
By
Oskar Soltyk
Buzzmill Coffee is a hub of community and family oriented culture that provides a support system for those involved for the East Riverside neighborhood and beyond that, for the city of Austin TX. Me and my friend arrived at Buzzmill for the Buzzkill Comedy show at approximately 8:45 p.m. and found a seat on the benches.
I was facing the entrance doors to the bar getting prepared for the Buzzkill comedy show, approximately six or so feet from the swinging doors when I saw an individual who typically wears facepaint and frequented the comedy show swing on a member of security. An altercation broke out and another staff member who manages the audio and visual aspect of event coordination got involved in the conflict. The aggressor then frantically fled the scene and panic ensued in the crowd. It was only moments later when the staff member working security uttered the word “stabbed” that the gravity of the situation became apparent to all. This swing on security was in fact not a strike made with fists but was a stabbing.
The suspect that was apprehended by police is allegedly only twenty years of age and was in possession of a case of Twisted Tea. These variables laid the scene for the unprovoked attempt that was made on multiple lives over merely being asked to leave the premises for bringing in outside alcohol. What could have been a standard ejection from a bar was needlessly escalated even though no member of staff had attempted to threaten or assault this individual. This is unfortunately another case of unnecessary escalation of a situation in physical violence, this exceeded standard violence and extended into multiple attempts being made onto the lives of the Buzzmill team. The reality of a situation like this is that a stabbing happens in one instant and appears to those not directly involved to be a typical fist fight. The difference between the balling up of a fist to strike someone and the drawing of a knife from a pocket is merely one slight of hand and cannot be recognized even at such a short distance; especially in dim outdoor lighting.
In the moments following when realizing what had occurred staff, regulars to the bar, and community members sprang out to rush those that were injured inside, provide basic first aid to slow down bleeding, and get first responders involved. It is entirely possible that without the particularly courageous actions of a regular providing emergency trauma care that the member of security who was slashed in the throat and stabbed in the intestines may have lost their life, that without staff calling for first responders immediately this situation may have become a manhunt, and that if Austin Police did not show up in force the suspect may have escaped and still be at large.
Even through the tragedy of this event the community of Buzzmill shined to support one another yet again and are currently making arrangements to provide extended support to those involved. Although the entire community at Buzzmill is deeply perturbed by the events that have unfolded, we are standing unshaken; doing all we can to provide support and to help bring justice to this situation.
