CALGARY – A man who witnessed a deadly attack on 18-year-old Lukas Strasser-Hird testified in court Tuesday.
Ty Javos-Paike (Javos) said Strasser-Hird was one of his best friends.
Javos told court he “essentially watched Lukas die…he was begging for his life.”
Franz Cabrera, Jordan Liao, Joch Pouk, and Assmar Shlah are all on trial accused of the second-degree murder of Strasser-Hird.
The young man was beaten, kicked, and stabbed outside of a southwest Calgary bar on Nov. 23, 2013. He died several hours later in hospital.
Javos had been out with Strasser-Hird at Vinyl nightclub early that same morning.
He said Strasser-Hird “was in good spirits, he was happy.”
The two separated to dance and when they met up again in the bar, Javos said Strasser-Hird’s demeanour had changed.
“He was quite shaken. I had never really seen him like that before.”
READ MORE: ‘It’s tough hearing it’: Lukas Strasser-Hird’s swarming death outlined in trial
On Monday, the prosecution said Strasser-Hird was involved in an altercation after sticking up for a bouncer who was being verbally attacked.
“He was a little roughed up – looked like he had a few punches, scratches on him…his lip was cut,” Javos said. “He was incredible antsy to leave. We were escorted by the bouncers”
“That’s when the people from the front confronted us at the back.”
Javos said it happened very quickly, five to seven men swarmed Strasser-Hird.
“I was trying to get them off him – just step in and help where I could – we were overwhelmed. He was screaming for them to stop.”
Javos said Strasser-Hird was begging for his life and told his attackers, “please stop, you are killing me.”
“We were outnumbered,” Javos said. “He was clearly in an absurd amount of pain.”
Javos said the attack continued for about 10 minutes.
“I remember Lukas lying in a pool of his own blood,” Javos said.
He said another witness and friend of Strasser-Hird called 911 but the 18-year-old was in bad shape.
“He was gasping for air…fading in and out,” Javos said.
Javos pointed at Pouk in court and said, “I recognize Joch as the leading assaulter.”