Crime & Safety

Video: Pizza Owner Takes On Armed Robber in a Fight

A 22-year-old man who allegedly attacked employees with pepper spray Wednesday night while attempting to rob the pizzeria is behind bars after being subdued by those employees.

Carlsbad Police arrested a 22-year-old man Wednesday for allegedly attacking Paradise Pizza employees with pepper spray while attempting to rob the restaurant with a BB gun.

Owner Mychal Dourson tells Carlsbad Patch, “It looked like your average pistol, it didn’t look like a BB gun.”

The armed robbery took place around 11:45 p.m. Wednesday at the pizzeria at 2564 State St.

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Carlsbad police Sgt. Jeff Chapman says the employees were able to wrestle the suspect's weapon away from him.

Dourson says his driver was there too and helped him take down the suspect. Thursday, Dourson is limping but says he is going ok. “ My shoulders, knees, and head is banged up. Plus my eyes, nose and ears are still burning from the mace,” says Dourson.

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Chapman said the suspect was taken to Tri-City Medical Center to treat a head injury he apparently sustained in the scuffle.

Following treatment, Thomas Ruth of La Costa was booked into the Vista jail on suspicion of robbery, assault with a caustic chemical and burglary. 

Paradise Pizza is open for business.

City News Service contributed to this story.


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