The Austin Police Department (APD) is seeking a man in connection with an assault that took place at the Heavy Hitters IV festival on October 14.
According to a report from KXAN, the APD is seeking a "white man with a heavy build in his late 20s to mid-30s." The clothing description is less helpful given it was a hardcore show, but APD described the man as wearing a "black t-shirt, black pants and black sneakers with white stripes on the sides."
So what happened here? Lambgoat reports that a man named Christopher "Latte" Silva was in the pit dressed in furry attire when he suffered a fractured orbital socket and a concussion due to a particularly savage hit. Silva has since launched a GoFundMe seeking $9,500 to help with medical costs and to offset lost wages. You can donate to that fund here. Footage from the aforementioned media outlet can be seen below.
"Hi everyone, my name is Chris but most of you know me online as Latte," wrote Silva. "On Saturday I was assaulted at a concert in Austin. I was punched from behind in the head while watching the show. The person who hit me fractured the lower part of my orbital socket, concussed me, and has jeapordized my job and vision.
"As many of you have seen, there is a video going around on twitter of what happened. The person who hit me hasn't been identified, and after looking into the legal actions/repercussions, the chances of him owning up to his actions are slim. We are still trying to find him.
"My nights have been restless. I spent the first three days vomiting and sleeping for an hour at a time from the pain in my face. My face hurts all the time. I couldnt afford a trip to the ER, but as time between the event passed, it became clear this wasn't going to be something I could sleep off.
"I havent been able to work. My job pays hourly, and my day to day work is primarly driving the company van to make deliveries and operate machinery in a coffee lab. Without function in my eye, I cant return to work because I can't drive or operate machinery. I will be out of work for another 2 weeks, but thats only if my eye begins to recover in the best case scenario.
"So far between clinic visits, a CT scan, and consultation with a neural eye surgeon, Ive spent just over $900. The neural surgeon wants to wait 1 week to allow my swelling to go down and see if steroids will help my eye start to recover on its own so we can avoid surgery. The estimated cost of the eye surgery is $2200 and risks permanent alterations to my vision. I'm hoping more than anything to not need the surgery.
"I just want things to return to normal, and the cost of restoring the function of my eye is something I cant afford on my own. The amount of support from everybody has been overwhelming and incredibly appreciated. I'm so grateful for this community and the voices online speaking out against the hate and glorification of violence.
"Please help me cover these costs and return to my regular life. I am trying to stay positive about the future, and with your help, I can do everything possible to save my eye."
