Man shot while trying to stop Oakland robbery of woman, his boss

An Oakland restaurant worker was shot and wounded early Monday while trying to help a woman - the owner - who was being robbed near her car, authorities said.

OAKLAND, Calif. - An Oakland restaurant worker was shot and wounded early Monday while trying to help a woman - the owner - who was being robbed near her car, authorities said.

It happened at about 12:30 a.m. near 42nd Avenue and Foothill Boulevard near a gateway to the Fruitvale District.

The woman, the owner of La Perla del Pacifico restaurant at the corner, was getting into her car across the street when someone pulled up alongside and confronted her.

"I can't believe the insanity that we're allowing - we are allowing to occur in this city," said Oakland City Councilmember Noel Gallo, who represents the area.

Oakland police reported that the gunfire was captured on the city's ShotSpotter gunfire-detection system and that the man was hit in the face.

"They took $4,000 from her, they beat her up really severely and they also hurt the employee pretty badly that tried to help" Gallo said.

Both victims were taken to the hospital and are expected to recover. The woman manages the restaurant, and her husband operates another business.

"It's sad. It's triste, you know the husband is my friend, longtime, and I feel bad for him, said Ricardo Vindiola, a friend of the couple. "People working and we try to make money for home, for food and it happens all the time."

It may happen all the time, but it's not every day that a citizen tries to intervene in a crime.

"If we all stand aside and never do anything, then nothing's gonna change," said resident Ken Ahern, who praised the actions of the restaurant worker.

"Oakland is a lawless city, right now a lot of crazy things are happening, but I applaud the individual who stepped up and tried to save the woman's life," Ahern said.

"It's always better to let the police do it. I'm not encouraging vigilante justice, I'm just saying with a small police force, it's better to have citizens - it takes a neighborhood. It takes a village," Ahern said.

Henry Lee is a KTVU crime reporter. E-mail Henry at Henry.Lee@fox.com and follow him on Twitter @henrykleeKTVU and www.facebook.com/henrykleefan