In the otherwise peaceful borough of Upton, Boralus, the local tavern, The Groggery, became the scene of a shocking altercation last week, leaving one man injured.
The evening began like any other, with Katie Avery, one of the Groggery’s well-known bartenders, engaging in light banter with patrons. Among those present were brothers Charles and Liam Clayton, both regulars at the establishment. The night, however, took a dark turn when an unknown man, already showing signs of belligerence, initiated a confrontation with Liam.
“He got right up in my face, and then he just swung at me,” Liam recounted, speaking in measured tones as he nursed a tankard of ale. The situation escalated when Charles defended his brother, leading the unknown aggressor to be forcibly removed from the premises by fellow patrons.
What followed was an unsettling calm before the storm. According to Charles, roughly an hour later, the same man returned—this time armed with a rifle.
“He came back, and before I knew it, he had that gun pointed right at my brother, or maybe Katie. I’m not sure what he was thinking. It was all a blur, really.”
As patrons looked on in horror, Charles attempted to disarm the man, only to be met with a bullet to the leg.
“I tried to disarm him of the rifle but instead, got welcomed with a bullet in my right leg,” Charles said, recalling the chaotic scene with a mix of frustration and dark humor.
“The man was piss drunk… I’d say poor shot,” Katie chimed in, confirming that the shot was likely intended to cause more harm than it did.
The aftermath was no less dramatic. In a swift and courageous move, Liam tackled the shooter to the ground, rendering him unconscious.
“Tackled him to the ground and knocked him out, Sir,” Liam said with a modest shrug, downplaying his role in preventing what could have been a much more tragic outcome.
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Katie, who had gained experience in tending to wounds, quickly administered first aid to Charles, preventing further blood loss while waiting for the authorities to arrive.
“Unfortunately, I have gained experience in removing a bullet or two,” she admitted, her usually jovial demeanour dampened by the memory.
Robert Dalemore, a local, soon arrived and escorted the shooter to Officer Pickens at the barracks. The assailant, known for a history of petty crime, including arson and vandalism, confessed to the shooting but refused to sign a confession, leaving his fate in the hands of the local judiciary.
Despite the harrowing events, the patrons at The Groggery displayed a remarkable sense of camaraderie and resilience. The Clayton brothers, with their tankards held high, exchanged a toast.
“I got your back, like you have mine,” Charles said, a sentiment met with an emphatic nod from Liam.
As our conversation wound down, I asked Katie about the frequency of such incidents in the area.
“Not very often,” she assured me.
“At least not in this part of town. We have Dampwick, which is more theft and the likes. But I have and will remain feeling safe in Boralus.”
As a reminder to our readers, The Groggery opens its doors every Friday at 8 PM, with a special concert this Sunday with the Cogspinners, a duo made up of Bertel Wobblespring and Mazzy Bufferpump. Despite the shadows of recent events, Katie Avery and her patrons remain committed to keeping the spirits high in this beloved local haunt.