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Updated: Eyewitnesses describe frantic scene on night of 2015 Red Deer pub murder

Pub patrons rushed to help badly bleeding victim
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An eyewitness testified he saw accused murderer Daniel Boyd Sawyer striking Alan Beach in the entrance to the Blarney Stone Pub seconds before the badly wounded man staggered inside.

Dustin Anderson said in Red Deer Court of Queen’s Bench on Friday he was having a few drinks at the pub when he was alerted to an altercation by the front doors when another man came in yelling for someone to call police.

“It looked like (Beach) was getting punched,” Anderson said.

Sawyer is on trial for second-degree murder before a jury. He is accused of stabbing Beach to death during a fight on Nov. 18, 2015.

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Anderson said he did not see any weapon in Sawyer’s hands or anywhere else that night but saw “Daniel’s hands going at Alan,” which he demonstrated with an overhand punching motion.

Seconds later, Beach staggered into the pub.

“Shortly after he came in the front doors. He was as white as a ghost. He looked like he was in shock.

“His eyes got really big. It was sad,” he testified. “He was shocked — like you can’t believe something has happened.

“I think he realized how bad this situation was.”

Anderson testified he recognized Sawyer after almost getting into an altercation with him on the street in downtown Red Deer several days earlier, although he did not know his name.

On cross-examination from defence lawyer Chris Archer, Anderson admitted he did not tell police when interviewed after the fight that he could identify Sawyer because of that earlier meeting but that it occurred to him before his court appearance.

Other eyewitnesses described the chaotic scene at the Blarney Stone Pub the night of the stabbing.

Joshua Greer, 38, who was drinking with co-workers at the bar, said trouble was clearly brewing between two groups of people who were arguing by the VLT machines.

“You knew something was going to happen. There was going to be a brawl or a fight,” Greer testified.

A short time later, Greer saw a scuffle in the doorway of the pub. Moments later, a bleeding Beach was helped into the pub by another person before collapsing near the bar.

“There were a lot of people yelling and screaming. Everyone was frantic.”

Greer, who had first aid training, stepped in to help.

He elevated Beach’s legs, tied off his thigh, which was gashed, and tried to calm the injured man.

“He was gasping for air. He was turning white, looking like a ghost,” he said. “He was fearful he was going to die.”

EMS arrived a few minutes later, along with the RCMP, who would not allow anyone to leave the bar for hours while they investigated.

Kevin Hermary said he was at the pub playing darts when he saw an altercation at the doors involving three to five people. He saw one person get thrown up against the doors.

“That’s what really caught my attention,” said Hermary, 55.

Shortly after, Beach came limping into the pub with another man who yelled, “Somebody call the effing cops.”

At one point, Beach handed something shiny to a woman, which he said caught the light and looked like it could be a plastic bag or a knife.

Archer questioned Hermary closely about the handoff. In his police statement and at a preliminary hearing, Hermary described seeing a knife.

While he thought it was a knife, he could not be “100 per cent sure,” he testified.

The trial continues Monday.