Knife-bandit strikes two E. 6th bars

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Two East Sixth Street bars are struck on two different nights by a knife-wielding bandit.

The Eastern, a bar located at East Sixth and Comal streets, was robbed Sunday night. An attempted robbery happened at the Gypsy Lounge just across the street along East Sixth street on Monday night.

Ontario Williams, who lives and works in the area, saw the suspect on more than one occasion. He was in the Eastern Sunday night when the suspect showed up and threatened a bartender.

"Ran over to the Eastern. I kind of hang over there all the time," Williams said. "It was one hour before last call and the next thing you know, there was a guy standing next to the bar and interacting with the bartender who was my friend."

"He mumbled something, I couldn't understand what he said. I thought he was flirting with her. And then her face looked afraid. She pressed the register and said 'you can have it all, you can take it all.' And I looked and noticed there was a knife in his hand."

"There's nothing you could do, but hope she's calm, hope he's calm. And hope that no one comes in the bar and scares him and everything goes smooth. The whole situation was over in 45 seconds," Williams said.

Police were called to the scene shortly after, but the suspect was not caught.

The next day, Williams saw the suspect as he was leaving his apartment.

"I opened my door and the guy was stooped by my steps. He looked at me, I looked at him. And he started walking West down Sixth street."

"I went back in and closed the door and I stepped back out and followed him all the way up Sixth street while trying to talk to police," Williams said. "And they told me, 'well if you don't know where he is we can't do anything. Call if you see him again, but don't follow him. Just give us a call.' That's what I'm doing right now! And then later on that night there were cops outside of Gypsy."

"Very bold move," said Michael Villegas, who owns Gypsy Lounge. "The guy just walked in. Pushed my bartender aside and went straight for the cash register. She yelled out my name, I saw him. I immediately pushed him into the wall."

"They pretty much pinned him to the wall and held him there. But, the scary part about that. As they were doing that he pulled out this huge knife," he said.

The 15-20 patrons that were inside at the time, helped subdue the suspect until police arrived a short time later.

"They pretty much just sat on him until the cops got there. I mean, a 240 pound guy," Villegas said.

34 year-old David Michael Faccone was arrested for aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon. Police believe he is the suspect in the robbery the Eastern and attempted robbery of the Gypsy Lounge.