Surveillance footage captured the moment terrified diners ran for their lives and a robber was wrestled to the ground after he stormed Beverly Hills restaurant Il Pastaio with two accomplices.
The video, filmed from a nearby store, shows a man tumbling out of the covered outdoor dining area at the swanky eatery, while another is wrestled to the ground before fleeing. Diners are seen running in all directions as shots are fired.
Jewelry dealer Shay Belhassen has spoken out about having his $500,000 watch stolen in Beverly Hills in a robbery that left a woman shot in the leg
Jewelry dealer Shay Belhassen, the man who had a $500,000 watch stolen, has spoken out to recall the incident that left him unharmed but another woman shot in the leg.
He was having lunch at the restaurant on Thursday when three armed robbers stormed inside and demanded his watch.
When he refused to hand it over to them, they started shooting and an unnamed woman caught a bullet to the lower leg. He gave them the watch and they ran away on foot while others ran for their lives.
In an interview with The New York Post on Friday, he claimed he tried to fight them and even wrestled them to the ground.
'One of them was choking me from the back with a gun to my head, while the other one was grabbing my arm, and the third one was yanking the watch off my hand,' he said.
'I took a chance and grabbed the gun and wrestled them to the ground. They were trying to pull the trigger.
The video, filmed from a nearby store, shows a man (top left) tumbling out of the covered outdoor dining area at the swanky eatery
Another is wrestled to the ground before fleeing. Diners are seen running in all directions as shots are fired
People were pictured running for their lives after shots rang out, as rapper DaniLeigh sits in her G-Wagon
The victim is seen talking on her phone as paramedics wheel her away from Il Pastaio in Beverly Hills, where she was shot in the leg
A $500,000 Richard Mille watch that is similar to the one stolen at the restaurant
'I believe one of [the robbers] got shot while they were struggling with me on the ground. The eyewitnesses were saying he ran while holding his stomach. I know while we were fighting on the ground, a couple of bullets shot. I believe one of them hit him.
'They were coming to shoot. They didn’t come to play around. There was zero fear in their eyes,' he said.
One woman told Variety that she couldn't run because she was wearing designer heels so she hid behind a tree.
'Everyone started running in every direction. I dropped behind a tree. I was in high heels. I'm not going to get very far in four-inch Louboutins,' Ran Ma said.
It is the latest in a string of violent incidents in the exclusive Los Angeles enclave.
Last month, Lady Gaga's dog walker was shot while walking her three French bulldogs. The dog-nappers stole two of the animals but they have been safely returned to her.
Seven people had Rolexes taken from them in armed robberies in the area between January 30 and February 15.
It's unclear if the thieves in Thursday's attack knew who to target or if the man with the expensive watch was randomly selected once they'd arrived.
She was dining outside when the shots rang out during a robbery
The man with the watch resisted which led to a loud argument that escalated fast into gunshots being fired
The witnesses were described as three young black males who demanded a $500,000 watch from a man eating at the restaurant
Crime scene photos show a heavy policy presence outside of Il Pastaio after the incident
Witness David Rafaelli confirmed to KNBC that the suspects wanted the man's watch.
'He wanted his watch, and while they were fighting with him, he pulled the gun and the gun shot one of the girls,' Rafaelli said.
Pictures taken show customers fleeing for cover past a parked Mercedes. Celebrity photographer Tyler Shields allegedly shepherded a large group of people into a nearby parking garage.
Rapper DaniLeigh, who has been dating DaBaby, had just parked in front of the restaurant and was in her G-Wagon when shots rang out, TMZ reported.
Drew Hancock said his girlfriend was shot and described the chaos as 'crazy' in an interview with KNBC.
The ricocheting bullet grazed the back of her calf, he told the outlet, and photos show her left leg wrapped in bandages.
Il Pastaio is a known celebrity hot spot in Beverly Hills which is known for its patio
'I stood up because I'm a big guy and people generally calm down when I'm around,' he said.
'I immediately turned toward my girlfriend and as I was throwing her and her friend through the doorway, there were shots.'
The victim was treated by Beverly Hills Fire Department Paramedics and was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries, the Beverly Hills Police Department said in a press release.
A second victim was also injured and treated at the scene.
Celestino Drago, the restaurant owner, told KTLA: 'I feel good nobody got injured and nobody got killed because all the other stuff can be fixed.
'I feel bad for the customers, for the city, for the police department, for everybody. You don’t expect stuff like this to happen.'
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