Valet Attendant Shot Outside Los Feliz Restaurant

LOS FELIZ (CBSLA.com) — Diners were enjoying an evening meal at MessHall Kitchen in Los Feliz on Sunday when a gunshot suddenly rang through the air, critically injuring a parking attendant and sending patrons into a panic.

Around 7 p.m., a man drove up to a valet attendant and demanded to get his money back. When the valet told the armed man that he did not have his money, the man took out a gun, shot the valet in the stomach and drove away, police said.

The victim, who has asked co-workers not to be identified, is said to be in critical condition.

The shooting stunned diners who clamored for shelter under tables. One person ran through the restaurant and told people to get on the floor.

"It was very loud. My ears started ringing immediately and I knew it was a large gun, not a pistol," said witness Erin Quill, who was eating dinner on the patio nearby. "The gentleman next to me had small a child and threw a table over him like a fort."

The shooting was believed to be an isolated incident, but Quinn said it arose fears rooted in recent mass killings.

"It's a scary time in America," she said. "Everyone is very tense."