Manager Wounds Gunman During Restaurant Heist

Police continued their search Sunday for a pair of robbers who entered a restaurant in East San Diego and began shooting--moments before the manager of the fast-food outlet returned the gunfire, wounding one of the assailants.

Two men, wearing bandannas over their faces, walked into the Kentucky Fried Chicken at 4002 El Cajon Boulevard about 11:30 p.m. Saturday, said Bill Robinson, spokesman for the San Diego Police Department.

One of the gunmen ordered customers and employees to lie on the floor and then fired a shot toward the rear of the restaurant, Robinson said.

The other robber, armed with a knife and handgun, then approached the rear of the restaurant, where he encountered the manager, who, with his own handgun, fired a shot from less than 10 feet.

The robber was hit in the upper torso, Robinson said. The robber fell and, while trying to regain his balance, was hit with a second shot from the manager’s gun.

The other robber, in the process of taking money from the patrons when his accomplice was hit, fired several shots toward the manager without striking him or any of the customers.

At that point, the gunmen fled the restaurant, running down an alley in the 4400 block of 40th Street. One of them was believed to be badly wounded, Robinson said.

One robber was described as black, in his 20s, 5-foot-9, 160 pounds. He wore a blue shirt and khaki pants.

The robber who was wounded was described as black, in his 20s, 5-foot-8, 150 pounds. He wore a black jacket and dark pants.