A Kearny Mesa restaurant has been shot three times in one week, leaving behind shattered glass, bullet holes and about $26,000 in damage.
Big Oven Pizza, located on Shawline Street in Kearny Mesa, was targeted in three separate shootings, according to police and the owner. Surveillance video shows what appears to be a white pickup truck near the scene during at least one incident.
The restaurant’s doors are now boarded up, and the windows taped over following the damage.
In one surveillance clip shared by the owner, a set of glass doors can be seen shattering moments apart. A white pickup truck is then seen driving away down Shawline Street.
“It’s a scary situation,” the owner said.
The owner said the shootings happened three times within a week. Employees said they were grateful the restaurant was closed during the incidents and no customers were inside.
“It’s dangerous. If you hit someone, you go to jail for life for it. There’s no point in doing it,” an employee said.
Video and images from inside the restaurant show a bullet hole torn through a wall, damaged flat-screen televisions and shattered glass front doors. Despite the destruction, police said nothing was taken.
Investigators said the first shooting was reported the night of Feb. 15, around 10:30 p.m. Surveillance video shows the shooter returned just after 11 p.m. A third shooting happened last Thursday around 10:20 p.m.
Video from that night appears to show the front glass door being shot out again by someone in what appears to be the same white pickup truck. However, police said they do not know if the vehicle is involved or if it’s coincidental.
“If you have an issue with us or whatever we did to you, I have no idea. Just come talk to us. We make it right. To do this is a very cowardly thing to do,” the owner said.
The owner of Big Oven Pizza said he has since added extra security cameras and is now closing an hour earlier to help ensure employees’ safety.
“It’s definitely sad just seeing how hard my boss has worked to keep us open. And I mean, it’s one of those dreams is just working on pizza and making people happy. And so seeing his establishment getting vandalized is definitely not a good feeling, just because of how hard he works,” an employee said.
Police said the suspect could face charges of shooting at an unoccupied building. The owner said they do not know who the shooter is, but it does not appear to be a disgruntled former employee.
Though no one has been hurt, the owner said he is concerned about the toll the violence has taken on customers’ sense of safety.
This story was originally reported for broadcast by NBC San Diego. AI tools helped convert the story to a digital article, and an NBC San Diego journalist edited the article for publication.
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