NYC pizzeria worker clinging to life after customer’s vicious pit bull goes on the attack
A Manhattan pizzeria worker was mauled by an irate customer’s pit bull during a vicious beatdown late Monday that was sparked because the dog wasn’t allowed in the shop, cops and sources said.
The 50-year-old worker at Roma Pizzeria clung to life Tuesday as the pit bull’s owner, Tyshaun Watson, 35, was slapped with an attempted murder charge for allegedly pummeling the employee — later saying he was “sorry” when he was cuffed, cops said.
Surveillance video captured a merciless attack by Watson after he walked into the Flatiron eatery along Fifth Avenue with his pit bull about 10 p.m., sources said.
The pizzeria worker tried to wave off Watson for bringing his dog inside, sparking a heated argument, according to sources. Watson flew into a rage, kicking and punching the worker, cops said.
Watson dragged the worker from the pizzeria, body-slammed him onto a sidewalk and punched him several times before backing away, the video showed.
The pit bull then joined the melee, hopping on top of the victim and biting him several times all over his body, according to the video and sources. Watson also went back and kicked the worker in the head several times, the video shows.
The victim was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition, cops said.
He was intubated and unconscious Tuesday morning, sources said.
Watson was charged with attempted murder and assault with attempt to cause disfigurement or dismemberment, police said.
As Watson headed to a Manhattan court Tuesday afternoon, he told reporters he was sorry.
“My thoughts and prayers go out to the victim,” he said. “I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Asked if he meant to do it, he replied, “Absolutely not. That’s not me.”
The New Jersey man has only one prior arrest in the Big Apple — for criminal possession of stolen property in 2008, sources said.
Timmy Moha, 28, who has worked at the pizzeria for about a year, told The Post he believes the victim staffed the shop with one other man Monday night.
“I haven’t spoken to him [but] I know he’s hooked up to machines,” Moha said. “From what I heard, he’s doing better, he’s doing good.”
Though the stop is located on the Big Apple’s iconic Fifth Avenue — across the street from luxury clothing and jewelry stores — he said safety has become a concern in the neighborhood at night.
“You know it’s Fifth Avenue, it’s a nice area, but the city is not as safe even here,” he said. “Around the block there’s robberies and such. Especially at night, it’s not as safe.”
But things have never escalated to the level of Monday night’s violence, he noted.
“We’ve never fought people, never had to fight people,” Moha said.
Stephen Sonkin, who lives next to the shop, called the incident “terrible.”
“They’re really nice guys that work there,” Sonkin said. “I know the ownership too. I have a space upstairs and I bump into them a lot. Just really surprised.”
“I mean it’s Fifth Avenue, right?” he added. “So I feel like when I walk down here, everyone’s very civilized and I never really see many pit bulls walking down the street. So it’s definitely shocking to me.”
Additional reporting by Kyle Schnitzer
