After a man crossed over to the dark side and tackled Victoria’s famous Darth Fiddler, a music store has stepped up to help the busker get back on his feet.
Darth Fiddler, the performer’s alias for Randy McKenna, was performing at his usual perch at Government and Wharf streets on Saturday, when he was assaulted at about 7 p.m.
A man in a red T-shirt ran at him from the side and tackled the fiddler. His violin was damaged and he received some cuts and bruises, and was taken away in an ambulance.
Witnesses pursued the tackler who ran to a Broughton Street parkade. He evaded the chasers by jumping from a second-storey ledge to a lamp post, shimmying down, and running off.
Police are hoping the public will help identify the suspect.
Hearing the story, Larsen Music stepped up to help.
“He’s a customer of ours and he comes in for bows and rods and things like that,” said Kanoux Larsen. “Of course we said yes, absolutely, let’s donate (a violin) to him.”
Meanwhile, Paul Laverick in Larsen’s strings department had been crafting a red light sabre-style bow for Darth Fiddler. The bow will go along with the new violin.
“There’s plenty of people out in the world who are musicians, who just need a hand every once in a while,” Larsen said. “It’s just our way of giving back to someone who needs it.”
The fiddler couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Anyone with information on the assault can call VicPD at 250-995-7654 or report anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
ecardone@vicnews.com