Witness to Kung Fu Saloon assault hopes surveillance video answers questions

AUSTIN, Texas - FOX 7 has newly released surveillance video and an interview with someone who was there the night a customer was thrown out and suffered a brain injury.

A night out with friends turned tragic.

Joey O'Hare was dragged out of the bar and dropped here on the ground.

It had been nearly a year since Adriana Chavez had seen her high school friend, Joey O'Hare. They decided to go with a group of friends to Kung Fu Saloon the night of November 16, 2014 but it didn't turn out like they had planned.

"I know one of the guys was asked to be cut off so they were obviously not going to serve him anymore. so we all went in as a group so we all decided to leave as a group. They didn't tell the whole group to leave, it was only that person. So we were not just going to let him leave alone. Joey went to pay his tab and that's when everything happened," she said.

The surveillance video shows some of what happened.

Attorney Jason McMinn says his client was paying his tab.

Behind the bar, you can see employee Robert Camillone, wearing a backward's baseball cap and hooded sweatshirt.

Camillone make his way over to the group.

Moments later you can see him wrap his arm around O'Hare's neck.

"I think the entire group is a little unsure as to why this happened. I can't find anything on any of the video footage prior to this that would indicate any aggressive or physical activity going on in the bar," McMinn explained.

Another view shows Camillone dragging O'Hare outside and dropping him to the ground. That's where Chavez found her friend.

"I had to turn him around and lay him in my chest. I was like, 'Joey wake up.' He was kind of dazed out, I'm guessing from the hit," Chaves said.

From there Chavez had two of the other girls help take O'Hare to an apartment.

But he ended up in the hospital shortly after, undergoing emergency brain surgery.

We spoke with attorney Randy Howry who is representing Kung Fu Saloon in the civil suit.

"Right now there is a lawsuit on file. There are certain restrictions on our ability talk about the information and the evidence. We're confident though that when all the evidence is brought forth, the full story is going to emerge," he said.

Either way, Chavez says she was there first-hand and doesn't think what happened was right.

"I've been to Kung Fu a few times and I thought it would be like a safe place to go, just in case something did break out like that. When the Joey incident happened, nobody helped me pick him up, nobody cared to call 9-1-1. The bartenders that worked there, they only threw a bar towel me. He's a guy, he was too heavy for me to pick up," she explained.

Camillone was arrested for aggravated assault.

In addition to the police investigation, the TABC has opened an investigation into the bar's handling of the situation.