Stab wounds, security camera footage revealed in El Paso County court trial
Mackenzie Stafford
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – The second day of trial wrapped just before 4 p.m. Tuesday for the man accused of randomly stabbing two different people in downtown Colorado Springs.
Tommy Lavery faces three counts of attempted murder for the stabbings, which were at the center of a May KRDO13 special report, Stabbed at Random.
Today, his alleged victims took the stand.
The first stabbing took place exactly a year ago yesterday, June 9, 2024, right outside of Gasoline Alley, a popular bar in downtown Colorado Springs.
Today, Stephen Waun, the victim in that stabbing, told the court he was in the bar drinking and had stepped outside with a friend when a man ran up and stabbed him in his side. His friend who was outside with him, testified that he heard the suspect say something along the lines of, “f*** you b***,” when he ran up and stabbed his friend. Waun explained to the court that immediately after being stabbed, he felt his side burning. The pain grew exponentially after that, Waun told the court.
Waun says he’d never met the man before and that the stabbing came completely out of the blue.
It’s the same thing that David Brookins said happened to him, only 11 days later, while he was downtown with a group of friends, waiting for a light to change at Cimarron and Tejon.
Brookins told the court that that night, he and three friends went for pizza downtown and made their way over to the Shrunken Head Tiki Bar and Rabbit Hole, two downtown bars.
One of the friends who was with him that night was Charles Stocker, who shared his testimony to the court on Tuesday.
Stocker explained that after the group had their food and drinks, they were walking back to their car toward the south end of Tejon Street when he heard someone behind them ask if they had a cigarette.
But when he turned around to respond, Stocker said he saw someone making a thrusting motion toward him. Startled, he said he then stumbled backward into the intersection, yelling, “He’s got a knife!”
The alleged stabbing attempt is part of why Lavery is facing three counts of attempted murder.
Brookins told the court he did not hear any question, nor did he turn around. Instead, he said he felt like he’d been shoved, and he took a few steps forward.
Brookins told the court it felt like he’d been hit on his lower back, so he reached back to touch the area, and it was wet. When he brought his hand forward, he told the court it was covered in blood.
Brookins’ roommate testified that he helped Brookins across the street and had him lie down so he could apply pressure to the wound.
Security camera footage gathered by a Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) detective, shown in court, shows the group of four walking southbound on Tejon. In the video, a person can be seen leisurely strolling a few paces behind the group.
In the courtroom, jurors were shown scars and pictures of two different stab wounds. Waun stood up and lifted his shirt during the trial to show the jury the scar left behind from his stab wound, along with the scarring on his stomach from surgery following the attack.
Both Waun’s and Brookins’ shirts, worn the nights of their respective incidents, were also shown to the jury as evidence, with both displaying a hole where they reported being stabbed.
David Brookins lost his kidney in the attack and nearly died. His doctor, who performed emergency surgery, testified in the trial that a large portion of Brookins’ kidney was lacerated and explained that he was bleeding internally and needed two units of blood.
KRDO13 spoke with his mother about what it was like enduring the trial on Tuesday and seeing security camera footage from the incident.
“The moment before something happened, you know, they’re whole – not missing a kidney, you know, they’re fine. And then, it’s like in two seconds, he’ll be changed forever. [It was] very hard to watch,” explained Tina Brookins.
Brookins said it was difficult to watch her son take the stand, as they’ve been coping with the trauma of the incident for the past year.
“You just want to protect your kids, you know? Especially when you have a suspect that your child had an encounter with, you become very protective,” Brookins said. “You wish your kid wouldn’t have to do it, but if it’s necessary. We want to make this a safer place, but it’s heartbreaking. I wish you wouldn’t have to. It’s like it brings everything up now. You’re trying every day to kind of push it away a little bit and continue living, but this has to be done.”
She tells KRDO13 she hopes justice is served.
KRDO13 was not allowed to record in the courtroom, but Lavery had clean-cut hair and a shorter beard and seemed stiff and tense during the trial. He seemed remorseful when Brookins explained his injuries. During other testimonies, Lavery kept a straight face.
We asked the defense for an interview, and they declined to comment.
Lavery will be back in court on Wednesday.
