Police Identify Man Who Beat Woman For Blocking Parking Lot Exit
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A brutal assault over parking in Deep Ellum caught on-camera lead to the arrest of a bartender named Austin Shuffield.
Witnesses watched in horror as Shuffield attacked the 24-year-old victim Wednesday night.
The victim – who CBS 11 News is not identifying – said she went to the hospital Thursday evening for treatment of what she believed is a ruptured eardrum.
She said she pulled into a parking lot near Elm and Crowdus Streets when she blocked Shuffield in as he was trying to leave.
That's when Shuffield, 30, got out of his truck to ask her to move out of his way because she was blocking the parking lot exit.
When he approached, a dispute followed, which witnesses saw and recorded.
The video shows Shuffield and the victim in the heated argument. At one point, Shuffield pulls out what appears to be a gun and holds it behind his back. After more words are exchanged, he smacks the woman's cell phone out of her hand as she was dialing 911. She reacts by punching him.
Shuffield responds by reaching back, taking a boxer's stance and punching her squarely in the jaw. The video shows Shuffield then hitting her violently four more times in the face and head.
The woman was crouched over, cradling her head as Shuffield beat her. Shuffield then kicks her cell phone violently on the ground.
Police were called an arrested Shuffield for aggravated assault causing injury, interference with an emergency call and public intoxication.
Owner of the High and Tight Barbershop and Speakeasy, Braxton Martin said Shuffield worked there as a bartender but was fired Thursday afternoon.
"From the video itself it shows an aggravated assault to our eyes. That is something needs to be dealt with quickly and swiftly and that's what we're trying to do and make sure it's handled properly," said Martin.
Shuffield was booked into the Dallas County Jail but posted bail overnight.