A man's attempt to rob a group of people outside of a Denny's went awry when he was struck by the victim's car before accidentally shooting himself in the face early Wednesday.
The incident occurred at around 3 a.m. at the restaurant's parking lot on 132nd Street and Hawthorne Boulevard, said Lt. Ti Goetz of the Hawthorne Police Department.
A group of four people were leaving the Denny's and getting inside their car when the man, armed with a gun, robbed them, Goetz said. As the gunman tried to get away, a male victim ran him down with his car and the gunman accidentally shot himself in the face, Goetz said.
Officers discovered the gunman with injuries so severe that it wasn't clear at first if he was shot, stabbed or sustained another type of injury.
"It appears that the suspect's accomplices initially attempted to assist him into their vehicle to escape, but eventually fled the scene without him," said Lt. Steve Romero.
The four victims initially left the scene but three of them returned and provided statements to officers, police said.
A gun was recovered at the scene.
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The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition. A description of him was not immediately available.
