Days after a video surfaced showing an assault in Deep Ellum, the bar that once employed the man now facing charges temporarily closed its doors due to threats.
Austin Shuffield, charged with assault, was a bartender for High and Tight Barbershop and Speakeasy.
On Sunday, co-owner Braxton Martin said in a press conference that Shuffield was fired immediately after the police report was released.
He said Shuffield wasn't working for the bar at the time of the attack, and that they had never known of Shuffield to have violent tendencies.
Still Martin said they in no way condone their former employee's actions.
"It's absolutely sickening what's happened to this young lady and how she's been treated, especially by an ex-employee of our's," said Martin.
Martin said they made the decision to close the bar over the weekend due to threats both the business and individual employees have received.
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"I've got staff members that are scared to come to work. We're all received threats in some way, shape or form… death threats, death phone calls, people calling the shop saying they're going to shoot us up for being a part of this." said Martin.
Martin said he and his employees stand with both the community and the woman Shuffield assaulted.
He said High and Tight is working with other local businesses to organize a benefit for the victim, though no date has been set.
Martin hopes to reopen the doors first thing Monday morning.
