A startling video captures the chaotic scene following a mass stabbing at a chic downtown Los Angeles eatery, resulting in four women being hospitalized and another suffering facial injuries.
The incident unfolded at Zaya, a popular lounge and restaurant, where a group of women had just concluded their brunch around 5 p.m. on Sunday. The heated altercation reportedly erupted over the bill, as reported by FOX 11.
As tensions flared, one woman brandished a folding knife while another grabbed a bottle, leading to a violent exchange. The conflict quickly spiraled, with the women injuring each other severely.
Following the frenzied altercation, two women faced charges of assault with a deadly weapon.
In exclusive footage acquired by The Post, the suspects are seen making their escape from the restaurant amid distant cries of distress.
Within the dramatic security camera footage, captured from a nearby upscale apartment, one woman urgently calls out, “Cynthia, come on!” to her companion as they flee the scene.
“Come on baby,” calls another, as the women clad in miniskirts hustle away from the restaurant.
The video shows a woman in with a red ponytail clutching what appeared to be an injury on her arm. She then appears to wipe a liquid from her other arm.
A spokesman for the Los Angeles Police Department said the suspect who wielded a folding knife in the brawl had a red ponytail.
Police have not identified the suspects in the slashing.
A victim in the wild fight who suffered cuts to her face refused medical treatment and left the restaurant on her own, according to a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles Fire Department.
A security guard at a neighboring building told the California Post, “I saw the people leaving. There were five or six people, women and men, with blood on them. The cops took a while to arrive. The stabbing took place in the restaurant. It’s incredible that this happened on a Sunday at a fancy restaurant.”
Four other victims, all between the ages of 26 and 37, were transported to hospital for treatment.
Witnesses reported seeing a suspect flee the restaurant with a folding knife along 7th Street and Grand Avenue.
A swarm of firefighters and cops worked the busy intersection that remained closed to traffic Sunday night, according to footage captured by bystanders.
Luis Santana, 36, manager or Gyu-Kaku, the restaurant opposite Zaya, told the California Post, “I heard a commotion and saw people piling outside. Zaya is normally fairly quiet. There were loud voices, people yelling. A woman was running around in bare feet trying to pull her boots back on.”
A woman in a white dress was wheeled into the back of an LAFD ambulance, other video showed.
A man was also detained at the scene, although it’s unclear what he had to do with the stabbing
LAPD warned citizens to stay away.
“Reports of multiple people injured at 7th St and Flower,” said LAPD’s Central Division said on social media. “Officers have responded and closed off the area. Expect traffic delays in the area.”
Upscale Zaya offers nightly musical performances including jazz and soul and markets itself as an intimate dining destination suited for a romantic date.
The restaurant on its Instagram Stories passed off responsibility for the stabbing, saying that “some situations develop unexpectedly and are beyond our control.”
The restaurant also expressed thanks for those who responded to the wild fight.
“We are especially grateful for the swift response of our team, as well as the immediate support of local law enforcement and emergency personnel,”
Zaya founding partner Ryan Sauter, who named the lounge after his daughter, did not respond to a call for comment.
An event called Sweet Serenade, with DJs and an emcee, was happening at the restaurant when the wild fight occurred.
The event’s creator Jasmine Siders said in an interview she wanted the event to be known for “unforgettable memories and experiences.”
The restaurant did not respond to The Post’s request for comment.
