An attempted armed robbery in West Hollywood went terribly wrong for a would-be robber who targeted a retired wrestler, according to a witness.
The incident, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, occurred shortly before 1 p.m. in the 900 block of North Switzer Street.
The victim, who did not want to be identified, told responding deputies that a man in a dark-colored sedan was driving down the street at a high rate of speed when he suddenly stopped the vehicle near the location where he and his girlfriend were walking.
Patrick McCloskey was working from home when he heard a woman screaming from the sidewalk.
“It was so chaotic, I didn’t know who jumped on who,” he explained. “I ran to the door to see what was happening. At that moment, I heard her shouting: ‘Bring the gun, bring the gun!’
Investigators said the masked suspect got out of his car carrying a gun and demanded the victim’s Rolex watch. The victim refused to comply, and the two men began to struggle.
“But he didn’t know the guy was a retired wrestler,” McCloskey told KTLA’s John Fenoglio. “Consequently, he was able to wrestle the gun away from the man and wrestle him to the ground.”
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A would-be armed robber was reportedly disarmed and beaten while trying to rob a man’s Rolex watch in West Hollywood on October 22, 2025. (Patrick McCloskey) -
A would-be armed robber was reportedly disarmed and beaten while trying to rob a man’s Rolex watch in West Hollywood on October 22, 2025. (Patrick McCloskey) -
A would-be armed robber was reportedly disarmed and beaten while trying to rob a man’s Rolex watch in West Hollywood on October 22, 2025. (Patrick McCloskey)
In footage of the incident, the victim is heard telling a deputy that he grabbed the gunman’s wrist and put the man on the ground before taking the gun away. When his girlfriend threw the gun over a nearby fence, the retired wrestler held the suspect down until law enforcement arrived.
During the struggle, another suspect exited the vehicle but quickly returned and fled the area before officers arrived.
“I was told the gun was loaded,” McCloskey said. “The guy who is considered the hero in all of this, who was able to pin the guy down, told me he saw a bullet in the room.”
The victim, according to a WeHo resident, showed no mercy as the attempted robber struggled.
“At some point, the guy’s arm got dislocated, and he grabbed it,” he said.
Video footage from the scene, obtained by KTLA, shows deputies arresting the suspect and recovering the firearm allegedly used during the ordeal.
Anyone who may have witnessed the incident or has information about the investigation is urged to contact LASD’s West Hollywood station.