Austin Man Charged with Aggravated Assault After Attacking Home Depot Shopper

Austin man John Bauer, 41, is accused of attacking a 78-year-old man with a hatchet at a Home Depot in Hutto. According to an arrest affidavit, the assault appears to have been random and unprovoked.

The incident occurred on Friday at approximately 4:57 p.m. inside the store located at 600 U.S. 79. The victim possibly had both arms broken during the attack and suffered an injury to his head.

Bauer followed the victim into the store and then stood near the entrance while the victim walked farther in. He then pulled a handheld hatchet from a rack and approached customer service, where he began hitting the victim with the hatchet.

The victim fell to the floor, and Bauer dropped the hatchet and left the store in his car. Police found him near the city limits, handcuffed him, and asked if the victim was dead. Bauer responded that he hoped the victim was dead.