Video footage shows West Hollywood gym owner being assaulted and pistol-whipped while fending off robbery of his Rolex watch
A West Hollywood gym owner is on the mend after a harrowing encounter where he bravely fought off assailants attempting to steal his Rolex watch. The assault was captured on video. According to the ABC7 report, The perpetrators remain at large at the time of this writing.
The incident unfolded Tuesday afternoon in the 8300 block of Sunset Boulevard, in front of the victim’s gym, as seen in surveillance footage. Three masked individuals approached the man, who was walking his dog, a Maltipoo named Hercules. At least one of the suspects brandished a firearm, initiating a violent assault on the victim. You can watch the footage below:
Despite being outnumbered and under threat, the gym owner, identified as Rocco DiStefano, refused to surrender his Rolex, demonstrating remarkable courage and resilience. “I’ve never had a gun pointed to my forehead, so the one thing I was thinking about is ‘This is it. This is it,'” recounted DiStefano, aged 29, to ABC7. “I just opened up this gym three months ago.”
In a desperate bid to defend himself, DiStefano engaged in a physical struggle with the assailants, managing to overpower one and thwart the robbery attempt. “I pushed through the person who was hammer-punching me in the back of the head, threw his legs, and I tackled him into the gunman,” he recalled.
Despite sustaining cuts and bruises, DiStefano successfully escaped the scene and sought refuge in a nearby spa. The perpetrators, thwarted in their bid to snatch the Rolex, fled the scene empty-handed.
Reflecting on the ordeal, DiStefano expressed a determination not to let such events dictate his way of life, albeit with a newfound awareness of personal safety. “I don’t want to stop living my life because of these things, but I’m definitely going to be more cognizant of where I wear jewelry,” he affirmed.
Following the attempted Rolex robbery, a similar incident was reported nearby approximately half an hour later, near Third Street and Cochran Avenue, involving four suspects in a black Cadillac. In this separate occurrence, a man was robbed of his watch at gunpoint. However, authorities have yet to confirm if these incidents are linked.
The perpetrators involved in both incidents remain at large as the Los Angeles Police Department continues its investigation.
The brazen nature of these daytime attacks has sparked concern among residents and underscores the importance of vigilance in urban environments. Authorities urge anyone with information regarding these incidents to come forward and assist in apprehending the suspects, ensuring the safety and security of the community.
