Inside the chilling phone call made by the ‘King of Bush Doofs’ before he died on the floor of a Melbourne bar from drugs – after calling 000 FIVE times saying: ‘I’m about to be killed’
- Spiros Boursinos made frantic triple-zero call from bar moments before death
- 45-year-old battling untreated anxiety when he fell into drug-induced psychosis
- His long-time friends said he was the happiest they had ever seen him that day
- During call he erratically paced around Antique bar in Elsternwick, Melbourne
- Smashed bottle against a window and lost consciousness before police arrived
Spiros Boursinos, 45, died after falling into a drug-induced psychosis at Antique Bar in Melbourne’s south-east in October 2018
An events entrepeneur known as the ‘King of Bush Doofs’ told a triple-zero operator he was ‘about to get f***ing killed’ in a frantic phone call moments before he died on the floor of a bar.
Spiros Boursinos, 45, was battling untreated anxiety when he slipped into a drug-induced psychosis at Antique Bar in the south-east Melbourne suburb of Elsternwick on October 20, 2018.
Long-time friends of Mr Boursinos – who founded the bush doof event Earthcore – said he was the happiest they had seen him on the same day of his death.
The businessman had just secured sites for two dance festivals and was celebrating with friends who were helping to arrange the events.
Mr Boursinos started his event business when he was just 17, building Earthcore into an festival that attracted thousands of music lovers like himself.
Mr Boursinos (left) called triple zero five times in under 15 minutes while erratically pacing around the bar, telling the operator he was being attacked
The 45-year-old called triple zero five times in under 15 minutes while erratically pacing around the bar, telling the operator he was being attacked.
‘I’m about to get f***ing killed,’ he said in one of the calls played in the Victorian Coroners Court on Thursday.
‘Don’t. Leave me alone. Call the police.’
Mr Boursinos repeated the bar’s address repeatedly in the calls, but lawyer Lindsay Spence told the inquest emergency crews had been unable to ascertain the location or exact nature of the incident.
It was only when other people called for help that officers were dispatched.
‘By that time the incident had already escalated,’ Mr Spence said.
CCTV footage played in the inquest showed him pacing and walking behind the bar, where he picked up a bottle and smashed it against a window.
Others in the bar described his state as hyper alert, as if he was having a psychotic episode.
The footage showed Mr Boursinos being restrained by the bar owner Sam Falleti, a bartender and another patron.
Mr Spence said he was physically restrained for just under five minutes and Mr Boursinos was seen struggling under Mr Falleti’s full weight until shortly before officers arrived.
Officers handcuffed the unconscious man and placed him in the recovery position while trying to rouse him.
Mr Boursinos had turned Earthcore into an festival that attracted thousands of music lovers
He remained handcuffed for seven minutes until his condition rapidly deteriorated, but died despite CPR efforts.
An autopsy found he had experienced pressure on his neck during the incident, and had cocaine in his system.
Mr Falleti immediately gave a statement to police, describing Mr Boursinos as ‘freaking out’.
‘I had never seen anyone behaving like that,’ he said.
When someone suggested calling police, Mr Falleti said to call for an ambulance instead because it appeared to be a medical issue.
But the court heard nobody associated with the bar had called emergency services or requested an ambulance.
The inquest is continuing.
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