Shock Suicide: Oregon Teen Stabs Himself During Coffee House Open Mic Night

KTVZ-TV:

BEND, Ore. -- Open mic night ended in a horrific tragedy as 19-year-old Kipp Rusty Walker took his own life Thursday night at a Bend coffee house.

While the terrifying scene shocked patrons, one of Walker’s friends, who did not want to be named, said Friday he saw it coming.

"I've been preparing for it for a while. I'm sad about it, but I think I'm in shock -- it's like a whirlwind of emotions," Walker's friend said.Walker was playing the keyboard for a crowd of nearly 15 people at Strictly Organic Coffee Company on Bond Street when his performance took a tragic turn.

Strictly Organic's co-owner, Rhonda Ealy, said she was not at the coffee house's open mic night but her staff re-counted what happened.

"It was really unclear at first what was even happening," Ealy said. "You know it is an open mic and it's a performance, people at first thought it was some sort of theater."

Patrons said Walker, who would have turned 20 in a week, stood up, said nothing -- then began stabbing himself in his chest, over and over.

(h/t Gawker)