An unstable customer, a violent, near-murderous attack, an employee who ends up in a medically induced coma—what happened to the manager of Roma Pizza in Manhattan probably will never happen to anyone on your team. But there are business lessons to be gleaned from the horrific incident currently being recounted in various media reports.
Zakaira El Sherief, who manages Roma Pizza in Manhattan’s Flatiron District, was nearly beaten to death by a customer in 2024. His injuries were so severe, doctors had to place him in a medically induced coma. Doctors have reportedly said that El Sherief’s recovery was “miraculous.”
Meanwhile, the incident raises a question: Do your employees know how to handle such a delicate, potentially lethal encounter? If you’ve never role-played a worst-case customer confrontation with your own team, consider this a reminder to do it right away. Your employees should never have to go through what El Sherief endured.
Recounting the Attack
The attack, which resulted in criminal charges for the customer, took place on August 19, 2024. It was captured in a security video posted on various news sites at the time.
Tyshaun Watson entered the restaurant with his dog, placed an order and sat down. El Sherief reportedly told him several times that it was against the law to bring a non-service pet into the restaurant, but Watson refused to leave.
After El Sherief had returned to the counter, Watson apparently grew enraged. He charged the counter and began pummeling El Sherief, a married man with three children. The dog, which was not on a leash, also joined in the attack, biting El Sherief.
“A lot of times I felt like I really died, I was in a dream,” El Sherief recently recalled in an interview with Eyewitness News ABC7. “I kept telling him, ‘Why are you doing that?’ when I was lying on the floor, because it was surprising. What he was doing, it was crazy.”
Another Roma Pizza employee “tried to help, but he couldn’t. It was too hard,” El Sherief said.
Finally, El Sherief fled outside. Watson pursued him and continued his relentless attack, putting him in a chokehold, throwing him to the ground and stomping on El Sherief’s head three times. Watson then walked back into the restaurant and sat down again until police arrived.
In the aftermath of the attack, El Sherief spent two months in the hospital, including two weeks in a medically induced coma, with a traumatic brain injury as well as bone fractures.
As CBS News has reported, Watson was arrested and initially charged with attempted murder and four counts of assault. He struck a plea deal on January 15 and will spend 17 years in prison. “I’ll use everything in my power to make sure you stay in the entire 17 years,” the presiding judge told Watson.
Lessons for Pizzeria Operators
Situations like this are, thankfully, rare but not unimaginable. And most pizzeria operators and their staffs are probably unprepared to handle a customer who refuses to follow basic policies or becomes violent and confrontational.
It should be pointed out that El Sherief did nothing wrong, nor did Roma Pizza’s ownership. As the manager, El Sherief had a duty to inform the customer of the no-pets policy. He could not have known that it would have life-threatening consequences.
But this incident does highlight the need for clearly posted policies regarding pets (and service animals). Signage should be prominent and hard to miss.
Moreover, it’s important to train your staff on the proper approach to de-escalate tense confrontations. Additionally, consider a simple but firm rule: No employee should feel obligated to personally enforce a policy when a situation like this one begins to escalate. They should know when to prioritize personal safety and call the police for help.
Operators should ask themselves three hard questions:
- Do employees know when to stop arguing with a customer and disengage?
- Is there a protocol for calling police before a situation turns dangerous?
- Are staff trained to create distance rather than “stand their ground” in a potentially dangerous situation with guests?
Many pizzerias have written policies. Far fewer have rehearsed what happens when a customer refuses to comply. That’s where role-playing can make a difference.
El Sherief was doing what managers are trained to do: enforce the rules. But this incident serves as a stark reminder that the goal isn’t to “win the argument”—it’s to keep everyone safe. In high-stress moments, employees need your permission to back away, step outside, or immediately (and perhaps discreetly) call for help without worrying that they’re “failing” to uphold the restaurant’s standards.
Because in the end, a lost sale, a policy violation, or even a health code infraction is infinitely less costly than a serious injury to a team member.
For operators, the big takeaway is simple: Make sure your staff knows that their safety is always the top priority—even if it means letting the rule go in the moment.
Finally, a postscript to the Roma Pizza story: After all that, El Sherief seems to have forgiven his attacker. Since doctors gave him a second chance in life, he believes Watson has time to earn one, too. “For all of us, on this earth, there is a judgment day,” he told ABC7. “All of us will be asked what he did, so he still has a chance [to repent],” El Sherief said.
