A Saturday night at a downtown Austin steakhouse took a violent turn when a server allegedly stabbed a diner multiple times at the table, sending the victim to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Officers arrested the suspect inside the restaurant without further incident, and witnesses say staff and fellow diners rushed in to hold him down until police arrived. Local reporting identifies the victim as a pastor.
The Austin Police Department says officers were called to Bob's Steak & Chop House at about 10:27 p.m. on June 27, where they found an adult man suffering multiple stab wounds. Officers located a suspect inside the restaurant and took him into custody, according to CBS Austin.
How Police Say The Attack Unfolded
Court records and witness accounts reviewed by reporters identify the victim as Rev. Jairo Sandoval-Pliego, pastor at San José Catholic Church. He was reportedly dining with friends when their server walked up to the table and leaned in for what looked like a friendly goodbye hug. Instead, according to those accounts, the server began stabbing Sandoval-Pliego repeatedly.
Witnesses told investigators they jumped in to restrain the suspect, who then broke free and ran toward a rear room of the restaurant. Staff and officers later found him there with blood on his hands. The suspect allegedly admitted to police that he used a steak knife from the kitchen and said his intent was "in the moment, to kill him," as detailed by FOX 7 Austin.
Victim, Suspect, and Charges
Police identified the suspect as 45-year-old Edward Koubek. Sandoval-Pliego was taken to a local hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Koubek was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and investigators say the two men knew each other through a local church, according to CBS Austin.
Legal Proceedings
Municipal court records reviewed by reporters show Koubek's bail was set at $18,000. A judge ordered him to have no contact with Sandoval-Pliego and barred him from returning to the restaurant or the church. The Austin Police Department is continuing to investigate, and any additional charges will be determined through ongoing municipal court filings, as noted by FOX 7 Austin.
